Five possible landing spots for Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday had a wish: "[I] would love to [sign an extension with Milwaukee]. Before I even won here I think I said, 'I'm a Buck for life' and I mean that like deep in my heart."

The NBA is a cold business. Wednesday Holiday was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in the Damian Lillard blockbuster. However, Holiday may want to keep a go bag near the door because he's not going to be in Portland long, the Blazers are expected to flip him in another trade, very possibly early in training camp (although with Lillard GM Joe Cronin showed he's willing to be patient and wait for the right deal). It should be noted that under the CBA Portland can trade Holiday immediately but cannot aggregate his salary to get the deal done — the trade has to be just Holiday for whatever the other team sends back. (After two months, Holiday's salary can be aggregated in a deal, but the sense around the league is that the Blazers do not plan to wait that long.)

Where could Holiday get traded to? Here are five teams to watch in the chase for Holiday.

Miami Heat

Miami's starting point guard during the NBA Finals, Gabe Vincent, is a Los Angeles Laker. Kyle Lowry is no longer the answer Miami needs at that position. The Heat need a point guard and hoped... no, expected to fill that gap with Damian Lillard, but we all know how that turned out. This leaves the Heat needing a high-quality point guard to keep them as top-tier title contenders. Jrue Holiday may not be their first choice, but he is an All-Star point guard on a short contract and one who fits the Heat culture, and reports quickly surfaced about South Beach as a possible destination for Holiday.

It would be an awkward conversation, and I'm not sure Blazers GM Cronin is taking calls from the 305 area code yet, but if the Heat can land Holiday for Kyle Lowry's expiring contract, a first-round pick and a young player, that would be a good deal for them and put them back at the top level of the title contention mix in the East. Miami is a win-now team needing a point guard and secondary shot creation beyond Jimmy Butler, and Holiday fits that mold.

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers talked to Philadelphia about a James Harden trade — talks Los Angeles ultimately pulled out of — because they need one more shot creator, positional size at the point, someone who can organize the offense but also play off the ball at times, and someone durable to go with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

Jrue Holiday fills all those needs and more by bringing quality perimeter defense to the party. The Clippers will make the call and at least try to get into the Holiday dance. Landing in Los Angeles — where he grew up and went to college at UCLA — would also be a win for Holiday. He would walk in the door with a ring and the respect of Leonard, George and everyone in the locker room. Holiday would be a win for the Clippers, but do they have the players and picks Portland wants to get a deal done (and will L.A. give them up)?

Boston Celtics

The reports are out there, the Boston Celtics are at least going to kick the tires on trading for Holiday.

With Marcus Smart traded to Memphis (to bring in Kristaps Porzingis, a guy new Buck Lillard has tortured in pick-and-roll switches historically), Boston could use more depth and defense at the point with Derrick White. Holiday would be a great fit, but to make the money work (Holiday makes $39.4 million this season), it would require Boston sending out Malcolm Brogdon (who they shopped this summer), one of Al Horford or Robert Williams III, plus a pick or picks. That's a lot of depth — front line depth — surrendered to get Holiday. Also, does that package entice Portland? They likely would likely want to flip Brogdon and the big again at the trade deadline, and the question is does that and a Boston pick appeal to them?

Philadelphia 76ers

Reports quickly surfaced about the 76ers wanting in on a Holiday trade, too. It would bring Holiday back to the team that drafted him and where he spent the first four years of his career.

The ideal trade from Philadelphia's perspective would be to package James Harden with a couple of picks, shipping out their problem to land an All-Star point guard who would make a great fit with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Good luck with that pitch. There is zero chance Harden would want to play in the Pacific Northwest and it's hard to imagine Portland taking on that headache and trying to flip Harden (the lack of a market for him is why the 76ers training camp will be a circus). Tobias Harris and picks also works as a Holiday trade, although Portland would then be trying to flip Harris before the February trade deadline. That would be more palatable to the Blazers than Harden, however.

Toronto Raptors

Toronto was in the mix for Lillard but Scottie Barnes was never on the table and new reports suggest OG Anunoby never really was as well — the Raptors wanted to replace the gone Fred VanVleet by sending out picks and rotation players, but keep their young stars (including Pascal Siakam). That likely would be the approach in trying to land Holiday as well, but is Portland going to be interested in a package of Gary Trent Jr., Chris Boucher, and Otto Porter Jr. plus picks? If Barnes or Anunoby were in the deal that changes things, but if you're not giving up one of those guys for Lillard it's certainly not happening for Holiday.