Why Celtics Were Desirable To Jrue Holiday: ‘Look At The History’

BRIGHTON, Mass. — Jrue Holiday had options during his multi-day-long stay with the Portland Trail Blazers before getting dealt to the Boston Celtics.

Multiple NBA Finals hopefuls, plus others, were all interested in adding Holiday to their respective rosters, just weeks before Opening Night. And through Portland’s courtesy, Holiday had input on where he’d land, creating an exclusive list that included several teams — one being the Celtics.

With plenty of upside, including a star-studded duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, a revamped coaching staff and explicit commitment from the front office, Holiday felt Boston was among those desirable trade destinations.

“You just look at the resume, right?” Holiday said during Wednesday’s introductory press conference. “You look at the history that this place has had. You look at the organization and everything that I’ve always heard about it. You look at how competitive they’ve been in the last five, six years and even before that. Even when I was with (Philadelphia), I went (to) Game 7 with Boston (in the 2012 Eastern Conference semifinals), (Rajon) Rondo hit two threes to go to the conference championship.”

Holiday added: “It was a very easy decision that this would be one of the places that I would’ve loved to come to.”

The Celtics got their guys, although at a hefty price, giving up Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III and two first-rounders, but the message is clear: Boston is all in on Banner 18 — including Holiday.

“Once I ended up getting traded here, that’s what I was committed to. Again, a team who’s been close to winning championships, who has those banners up there and has one covered because of how rich this organization is and winning is,” Holiday explained. “… I thought I had a chance of that in Milwaukee, it happened. Now I have the same chance and winning is the most important thing to me.”

Holiday left Milwaukee on a high note, helping the Bucks win the 2021 NBA Finals over the Phoenix Suns, adding championship DNA to an already two-time All-Star. Therefore, the Celtics might have just landed a match made in heaven.

Boston moved on from Marcus Smart and shipped him to the Memphis Grizzlies in order to land Kristaps Porzingis. That not only removed one of the team’s most beloved players, but also its grit, heart and general in establishing a defensive identity. Finding those intangibles is easier said than done, yet it looks like the Celtics found their solution in pulling that off.

Only time will tell with Celtics training camp underway and Opening Night set for Oct. 25.