Jrue Holiday is now on the Celtics. The whole situation is weird for his former Bucks teammates.

Khris Middleton was in the Sports Science Center when the Milwaukee Bucks made the trade that shook up the NBA world.

Middleton was ecstatic to be adding a player like Damian Lillard. But then Middleton realized the cost of that was losing a player – and person – of high caliber in Jrue Holiday. It was a sentiment echoed by all of Holiday's former teammates at the Bucks' media day on Monday.

"I had just got done with a workout," Middleton said. "I would say just mixed emotions. First, knowing if it was really real or not because it came out of the blue. But then, it sucks to see our guy go.

"What he did for our organization, what he did for me as a person and my family. It was tough. It was tough to have that conversation and see him go the other way. But to get somebody like Dame in, you got to be excited for a guy like that."

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Holiday lauded as a great teammate by Giannis Antetokounmpo and others

Everybody knows the steal – and the audacious alley-oop – against the Phoenix Suns in the 2021 NBA Finals that helped propel the Bucks to their first title in 50 years.

But people around Milwaukee also know about all the good that Holiday did in the community.

"It's going to be a lot different," Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo said. "We'll miss a great player, but more important, a great human being. His energy was contagious. He was always happy, always positive. Whenever you came around him, you always felt good. He was always a guy you always felt great about going to war with.

"I was very close with his family. My family was close with his family. So we're definitely going to miss them. But at the end of the day, everything that Jrue did here on the team for three years, it's never going to be replaced. No matter what happens, no matter who comes, it's never going to be replaced. He's always going to be a champion forever, he's always going to be one of my best friends, one of the best teammates, best human being I ever met, ever played with."

The trade also included Grayson Allen, which also had an emotional impact on Pat Connaughton.

"For me, it was a unique situation," Connaughton said. "Jrue and Grayson I was very close with. Jrue and his family, I've become very close with, it goes beyond basketball. We obviously won a championship together.

"To lose a guy like that, who I believe is the most high character guy in the NBA. I think he carries himself as a pro's pro. You talk about being a pro, that is the definition of it. To lose a guy like that, is a lot. But to me, to gain a guy like Dame, obviously everyone knows his talent and the impact he can have on our team, but I know personally. On how he carries himself and the character he has. He is incredible. For me it was the definition of bittersweet."

Brook Lopez had long history with Jrue Holiday

Bucks center Brook Lopez used the same word when asked about the trade.

"It's so tough," Lopez said. "Bittersweet is just the right word for that."

People often forget Lopez and Holiday have a long history, way before they became teammates when the Bucks traded for Holiday in November 2020.

"Jrue's from North Hollywood," Lopez said. "I grew up in North Hollywood, too. We grew up playing against each other in high school. So we've always had that familial connection.

"We were blessed to finally play together in the NBA, which is awesome, a dream come true. He's someone that I'll always consider a brother. He was at my wedding this summer. He helped me achieve a personal goal of mine of winning a NBA championship. He'll always be a part of Milwaukee lore and I'll thank him forever for that.

Holiday now part of Celtics, which adds a new layer

The Portland Trail Blazers flipped Holiday to the Boston Celtics, which now adds more fire to red-hot rivalry in the NBA's Eastern Conference.

"I wish him nothing but the best," Antetokounmpo said. "I think the city of Milwaukee, the Bucks, the whole organization, we all love him. We thank him for all that he's done, wish him the best on his journey with the Boston Celtics. Not against us, though, against the rest of the league."

Connaughton grew up in Massachusetts as a Celtics fan, which is another interesting wrinkle.

"I was on an emotional roller-coaster all week," Connaughton said. "I don't know if I can describe the feelings for you.

"At the end of the day, he'll be a great Celtic. Knowing the fan base over there, that I don't have any affinity for anymore but used to when I was a kid, he'll be a great Celtic. He'll be a great addition for them. And, to be honest with you, I'm a competitive guy, I want to compete against the best. It will be fun to compete against him."

How weird will it be to play against a guy that was so integral to a championship run?

"Shoot, I love Jrue so much," Lopez said. "And it's going to be pretty annoying to see him playing against us in Boston. Switching one through five and guarding all of us and making our lives a living hell."

But the love for Holiday is bigger than any uniform.

"He did so many things in the community," Antetokounmpo said. "He's a guy that's definitely going to be missed. From the bottom of my heart, I love that guy. We are not the Milwaukee Bucks, we are not champions, without that guy. Again, I wish him the best."

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former Bucks teammates praise Jrue Holiday though he is now a Celtic