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NBA Rumors: Jrue Holiday Prefers Trade to Contender Where He Can Sign New Contract – Bleacher Report
As the Portland Trail Blazers explore the trade market for Jrue Holiday, the two-time All-Star has a general preference for the type of team he would like to play for.
Per SNY.tv’s Ian Begley, teams that have shown interest in Holiday believe he “prefers to be in a situation where he can win and potentially sign an extension.”
Holiday was acquired by the Blazers as part of the Damian Lillard trade with the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns on Thursday.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Portland is “expected to engage contending teams” in trade talks involving the 33-year-old.
Per Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls are among the teams Holiday would have interest in playing for.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst cited the New Orleans Pelicans and New York Knicks as teams with draft assets that would be very appealing to Portland if they wanted to get in the mix.
The Sacramento Kings were also on Windhorst’s list, but The Athletic’s Sam Amick noted they won’t make a push after looking into the situation.
For those Kings fans wondering, I'm told Sacramento won't be part of the Jrue Holiday sweepstakes. They looked at it (naturally), like so many other teams, but aren't in the mix.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania said on The Pat McAfee Show there is a “good chance” Holiday gets traded before NBA media day on Monday. He added that the Sixers are “going to be going hard” in their efforts to acquire the veteran point guard.
Holiday is entering the final guaranteed season of his current contract. He will earn $34.95 million in 2023-24 with a $37.4 million player option for 2024-25.
One of the best two-way guards in the NBA, it’s not a surprise that so many teams will at least kick the tires on a potential Holiday trade. He has been named to the All-Defensive team five times in the past six seasons, including three first-team selections in 2017-18, 2020-21 and 2022-23.
Holiday averaged 19.3 points on 47.9 percent shooting from the field, 7.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game in 67 appearances for the Bucks last season.