NBA Exec Reportedly Was 'Somewhat Puzzled' By Blazers' Trade for Celtics' Jrue Holiday

Some around the NBA reportedly were left scratching their heads after the Portland Trail Blazers acquired veteran point guard Jrue Holiday from the Boston Celtics on Monday.

The Blazers sent combo guard Anfernee Simons and a pair of second-round picks to acquire the 35-year-old veteran, who is set to make a salary of $32.4 million next season. A league executive told NBA insider Jake Fischer that they were "somewhat puzzled about how Holiday fits in with Portland's young roster and on the Blazers' books."

Holiday played a key role in getting the Celtics over the hump to win the 2024 NBA championship, but he had a down year this season. He missed 20 games due to injuries and averaged just 11.1 points, his lowest scoring average since his rookie year in 2009-10.

While the Blazers are still in the midst of a rebuild, they showed signs of promise as they finished this season with a 36-46 record. Fischer noted that the team's 23-18 record down the stretch has fueled "a desire to compete in the Western Conference next season."

Portland surely has more work to do if it wants to make some noise in the competitive West next year. Despite sacrificing some youth to bring in a veteran, Fischer stated the Blazers "clearly believe Holiday's veteran know-how and defensive acumen can help nudge them closer to a playoff spot, which would represent a significant step forward since Portland parted ways with Damian Lillard shortly before the 2023-24 season began."