Robert Williams and Malcolm Brogdon are headed to Portland
The Boston Celtics on Sunday reportedly acquired Jrue Holiday in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Celtics traded Robert Williams, Malcolm Brogdon, a 2024 first-round pick and a 2029 unprotected first-round pick in exchange for Holiday, as first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The 2024 draft pick is initially from the Golden State Warriors, which Boston acquired in the trade that sent Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this offseason.
Holiday was traded to Portland last week in a blockbuster deal that sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Lillard deal altered the landscape of the Eastern Conference and the NBA at large. Immediately after the Trail Blazers acquired Holiday, however, it was reported they were engaging suitors for the veteran guard.
At the time, the Celtics were thought to be one of the top contenders to land Holiday, though his finances were expected to make the deal challenging. Williams and Brogdon were sent as a way for the Green to match finances.
Brogdon’s departure, specifically, comes after reports that he was irritated with the Celtics. Boston included Brogdon in trade talks earlier this offseason before ultimately shifting gears and including Smart in a trade for Kristaps Porzingis. Brogdon’s discontent with the organization reportedly was tied to both being involved in those trade talks and because he reportedly did not like how the Celtics handled his injury recovery.