Blazers flip Holiday to Celtics for Williams, Brogdon, picks

The Portland Trail Blazers are trading guard Jrue Holiday, acquired in Wednesday’s blockbuster Damian Lillard trade with the Milwaukee Bucks, to the Celtics, Boston announced Sunday.

In exchange, the Celtics are sending center Robert Williams, guard Malcolm Brogdon, a 2024 first-rounder originally belonging to the Golden State Warriors, and an unprotected first-round pick in 2029 to Portland.

“We are excited to see Jrue in a Celtics uniform,” president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in a statement. “He plays the game with a great competitive character, and his impact on and off the court has been felt everywhere throughout his career.”

Holiday, a key figure in the Bucks’ 2021 championship team, will likely join fellow newcomer Kristaps Porzingis in the Celtics’ overhauled starting lineup, as franchise co-stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum attempt to lead the team to an NBA-record 18th title.

The 33-year-old Holiday was the most significant piece the Bucks dealt in the three-team swap including the Phoenix Suns to land Lillard. The Blazers’ running list of total compensation for dealing their longtime franchise star includes:

Deandre Ayton
Williams
Brogdon
Toumani Camara
2024 top-4 protected first-round pick via Warriors
2029 unprotected first-round pick via Bucks
2029 unprotected first-round pick via Celtics
Right to swap 2028 first-round picks with Bucks
Right to swap 2030 first-round picks with Bucks

Boston was one of multiple teams Holiday hoped to join after being dealt to Portland, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Though his contract contains a $37.4-million player option for 2024-25, the Celtics are reportedly hoping to secure him long term.

Holiday, a two-time All-Star and five-time All-Defensive selection, averaged 19.3 points, 7.4 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals through 67 games with Milwaukee last season while posting shooting splits of 47.9/38.4/85.9. The former 17th overall pick will likely slot in as the primary point guard in head coach Joe Mazzulla’s lineup. Boston could also deploy him alongside guard Derrick White in a smaller starting five, with Porzingis at center and veteran big Al Horford likely shifted to a reserve role.

In a subsequent move to bolster their frontcourt options, the Celtics penned free-agent big man Wenyen Gabriel to a training camp deal, sources told Wojnarowski. The 7-foot South Sudanese center played 68 games with the Los Angeles Lakers last season and recorded 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest.

Brogdon, meanwhile, operated exclusively off the bench for the first time in his career last season, registering 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 44.4% from deep in 67 appearances. However, the Blazers are already well-stocked with several touted young guards, including No. 3 pick Scoot Henderson, and are expected to listen to offers for Brogdon, reports Wojnarowski.

Portland reportedly intends to keep Williams despite landing Ayton from the Suns on Wednesday. The former Celtics center started 20 of just 35 games last season after an arthroscopic knee procedure delayed his season debut to Dec. 16.

In 35 regular-season appearances, Williams tallied averages of eight points and 8.3 rebounds. He played in all 20 of Boston’s postseason contests, during which he led the league with a 78.8 field-goal percentage.

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