The question has been dribbling around the empty recesses of my head all season.
“How the hell has Jrue Holiday played for four different teams?”
And that’s not even counting the fact that, prior to his trade to the Celtics last October 1st, he was technically a Trail Blazer for four days — not quite enough time for a tribute video.
The Celts’ creative group could muster one off his performance in Tuesday’s Game 1 conference finals win over Indiana alone, what with 28 points, 7 rebounds (5 of them on the offensive glass), 8 assists and 4 steals in a game-high 48:19 on the floor.
But it was during Holiday’s time in the relative shadows this season that made one wonder how Philadelphia, New Orleans and Milwaukee could let him get away. I’ve always appreciated Jrue Holiday’s game, but in that I’m based in Boston, getting a chance to see him up close so regularly created the question I shared with others over the course of the year.
Jrue Holiday ‘Worth His Weight in Gold’
Sacramento coach Mike Brown, who also had to deal with Holiday from the Cleveland, Laker and Golden State benches, pondered the query for an extended moment then looked up.
“No,” he said. “I can’t. I can’t explain how he’s moved this much … Yeah, man, I don’t know.”
Later in the conversation when we’ve moved on to another topic, Brown reached back.
“He’s on his fourth team?” he said. “I don’t understand it. If you’re a coach, a guy like Jrue is worth his weight in gold. I mean, he’s great on both sides of the ball… professional, an example for anybody you bring into the organization. He doesn’t even have to say a word, and he’s going to lead the right way.
“So as a coach, I don’t know what you could want more. It surprises me that he’s been moved as many times as he has.”
The 76ers sent him away for Nerlens Noel and a pocket full of mumbles. New Orleans gifted Holiday to Milwaukee, where he was critical to the 2021 championship run. The Bucks then went for the shinier Damian Lillard last September, picking up more offense but losing a whole bunch of defense.
Celtics Brought on Holiday for 2 Players, 2 Picks
Only Portland’s trade is truly understandable. The Blazers are in reconstruction mode, so Robert Williams, Malcolm Brogdon and two first round picks (one from Golden State) is a more-than-fair return for someone who wasn’t destined to be in town long-term anyway. (Holiday had a player option for next season that he blew off to sign a four-year extension with the Celtics.)
But even Portland leader Chauncey Billups can appreciate the guy he never got to coach. Besides, the fact he was traded as a Celtic rookie before going on to his own Hall of Fame career certainly let him know how crazy NBA business can be.
“No, I’m not surprised with all of that anymore, man,” Billups told Heavy Sports. “This is the way the game is today. And I’m also not surprised that every team he goes to, he becomes almost the most important player, just by who he is and how he plays. He’s a great teammate, he’s clutch, he guards the best players …
“He’s just a dude like that. The Celtics are lucky to have him, I tell you that.”
Joe Mazzulla Appreciates Jrue Holiday Contributions
Joe Mazzulla agrees. A month and a half ago when having this chat, the Celtic coach didn’t really want to think about Holiday in any other uniform.
“I’ve never really thought about that, to be honest with you,” Mazzulla said. “Really I just think about how appreciative and glad I am that we have him. The things that he does are exactly the things we need for your team, and you don’t ever want to take a guy like him for granted. He’s smart. Really smart. Both ends of the floor.”
Fast forward to Tuesday, and the coach was marveling at how his guard is able to impact the game in whatever way is needed on a given night.
But while Mazzulla may not want to concern himself with how Holiday has traveled so much, the thought has crossed Al Horford’s mind.
“That’s a good question,” he told Heavy a few weeks ago. “He brings so much, things that you can’t track on a stat sheet. His presence, his willingness to be a good teammate and do what’s needed.
“To your question, I wonder that, too, but we’re lucky that we got him. I know that Brad said earlier in the year that he always hoped to get him, but it was such a longshot. So, yeah, we’re pretty lucky that we have him.”
Celtics ‘Not a Bad Spot,’ It Turns Out
Holiday feels pretty fortunate, too. Just before signing the $134.4-million extension, he assessed his current NBA home.
“It’s not a bad spot, that’s for damn sure,” (under)stated Holiday, who will turn 34 on June 12. “It feels comfortable playing here, and winning’s always good — and that’s what I’m here for.”
The trades? He got over that stuff long ago.
“No, I think after I got traded the first time, I knew anything was possible,” he told Heavy. “I thought I was going to be in Philly my whole career. But once I realized that part of the business, yeah, I don’t know, I just figured anything could happen.”
At present, Holiday is bent only on the quest for the NBA grail.
Mike Brown likes the Celtics’ chances.
“You get two veterans like Al Horford and Jrue helping to steer this ship in the right direction, that’s great for a coach,” said Brown, an assistant to Steve Kerr when the Warriors took down Boston in the 2022 Finals. “Then, shoot, you’ve got the young Hall of Famers who’ve been through some stuff, and the stuff they’ve been through has shot their growth chart way up. There are a lot of headaches they’ve given a lot of people.”
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This article was originally published on Heavy.com
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