Report: Celtics acquire Jrue Holiday from Trail Blazers for Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon and 1st-round picks
The Boston Celtics reportedly acquired All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday from the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday in exchange for Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon, a 2024 first-round pick and an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Holiday recently was traded to Portland as part of last week's blockbuster deal that sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Holiday, 33, averaged 19.3 points and 7.4 assists in 67 games with the Bucks last season. Holiday is a two-time All-Star and has been named to the NBA All-Defensive Team five times. He will help shore up an already-strong Celtics defense that allowed 111.4 points per game last season, one of the lowest figures in the league.
Portland continues to rebuild after Damian Lillard trade
The move helps Portland gather assets for the future. Wojnarowski reported Portland will take calls on moving Brogdon to another team because of the plethora of young guards on the Trail Blazers' roster. Brogdon is coming off a season in which he won the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award. He averaged 14.9 points and 4.2 rebounds with the Celtics during the 2022-23 season.
Williams will pair with recently acquired Deandre Ayton in the Blazers' frontcourt. Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill reported last week the Blazers view Ayton as a top-five center in the NBA, and having another piece to complement him could help his development.
The Holiday deal also netted valuable draft picks. Portland traded away its initial 2024 first-round pick in a 2021 deal with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Bulls currently hold that pick, though it's protected for selections 1-14 in the 2024 NBA Draft. Given the way the Trail Blazers have operated this offseason, the team has a good chance of getting that pick back.
In the event that doesn't happen, Sunday's trade with the Celtics guarantees Portland will have at least one first-round pick in 2024. The team can use that pick — or picks — to acquire more talent to put around 2023 No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson, 2022 first-round pick Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons.
Williams, 25, should provide a strong presence on defense. Injuries limited Williams to 35 games last season, but the center made his first All-Defensive appearance during the 2021-22 season. Over his career, Williams has averaged 7.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
