Jrue Holiday Rumors: Celtics, These Teams Interested In Guard

The Celtics reportedly plan to “explore” a potential Jrue Holiday trade, but it looks like Boston won’t be the only team in the market for the veteran guard.

Holiday was shipped out to Portland on Wednesday when the Trail Blazers traded Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks in a blockbuster three-team deal with the Phoenix Suns. But almost immediately after news of the seismic swap broke, several NBA insiders reported the Blazers planned to quickly work on a Holiday trade.

The two-time All-Star should generate significant interest around the league, as he’s one of basketball’s premier defensive guards. And joining the Celtics in the pursuit of Holiday will be Raptors and the Heat, among others, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Holiday would be an above-average consolation prize for both Toronto and Miami. The Heat, of course, were Lillard’s preferred destination before he realized a move to South Beach wasn’t in the cards. The Raptors, meanwhile, reportedly were a “real contender” to land the seven-time All-Star before the Bucks won the Lillard sweepstakes.

If Holiday has any say on his next team, Boston and Miami should be very high on his list. They were the last two teams standing in the Eastern Conference in three of the last four seasons and Holiday could be a seamless fit with either franchise.