The Portland Trail Blazers acquired Jrue Holiday this offseason, and the move reportedly didn’t go well for the 35-year-old guard because he’s been moved to a rebuilding situation. However, according to the two-time NBA champion, this is not true.
“Everyone was just talking about it. Nobody was really asking me about the trade,” Holiday told Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “Everyone was assuming I was miserable or unhappy with it. But when I got the call from (Celtics president) Brad (Stevens), I was super excited.”
“Being able to see the roster, the type of players, and the character that they have, going to a team like that means a lot. Young or veteran team, I know that a team with good character guys will always be a good situation,” he added.
Holiday came to the Portland Trail Blazers in June via a 1:1 trade for Anfernee Simons. He will earn at least $32 million in the next two seasons before he can become a free agent in the summer of 2027.
Portland Trail Blazers News: Jrue Holiday explains his new role with the team
Jrue Holiday is expected to take on a leadership role as one of the Portland Trail Blazers‘ veterans, and the 35-year-old is relishing his new opportunity.
“I expect to be a little more of a role (offensively in Portland),” Holiday said. “Handle the ball a little bit more. Get people into actions. Maybe (I’ll be) more part of the offense here.”
“I like being closer to home, closer to my family,” he added. “I’ve already seen them a lot more flying them in from L.A. It’s been good for me. Home is always where the heart is, right? You can make any city you play in a part of your home and make it fit into your life. But for me, I’ve always been from L.A. Knowing that most of my family is there, it makes it easier for people to come travel to see me.
