Celtics Star Guard Jrue Holiday Maintains This Gripe With Bucks

His first season in Boston “has been fun” for Jrue Holiday, who reportedly is interested in signing a contract extension with the Celtics.

But even though things are great for the veteran guard on Causeway Street, he’s still a little bitter about how things ended with his former team.

Holiday, a key member of the Bucks’ NBA championship-winning team in 2021, was dealt by Milwaukee to Portland in a blockbuster trade centered around Damian Lillard in late September. Holiday, who’s playing in his 15th season in the league, has been around the NBA long enough to understand the unforgiving business side of the game. Still, there was one aspect of the trade he took issue with.

“For me, it was just a shock because at least let me know 24 hours in advance,” Holiday said on “The Draymond Green Show,” as transcribed by MassLive. “Not five minutes in advance. Maybe I’m asking for too much. It’s kind of like, I won there.”

Fortunately for Holiday, he never had to join the rebuilding Trail Blazers. Four days after the Lillard blockbuster, the Celtics made a splash of their own by giving up two players and two draft picks to land the two-time All-Star. Holiday has been a seamless fit in Boston, where the C’s won the East before any other team in the conference even secured a playoff berth.

There’s a good chance the Celtics will have to go through the Bucks if they’re going to reach the NBA Finals. And if Boston downs Milwaukee en route to a title, the journey likely will be a little sweeter for Holiday.