Holiday Traded To Boston In Four Team Deal

Celtics Acquire All-Star Guard Jrue Holiday

Holiday Traded to Boston in Four-Team Deal

Milwaukee Receives Merrill and Payton II from Portland

The Milwaukee Bucks have officially acquired guard Jrue Holiday in a four-team deal, the teams announced on Tuesday. In exchange, Milwaukee has sent guard Eric Bledsoe to the New Orleans Pelicans, who in turn sent guard Jrue Holiday and the draft rights to Sam Merrill, the 60th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, to Portland. The Trail Blazers have also acquired guard Gary Payton II from Milwaukee.

Holiday is a two-time All-Star and one of the league's top perimeter defenders. He averaged 19.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game for the Bucks last season. The 30-year-old guard will provide the Celtics with a much-needed upgrade at the point guard position, where they have struggled to find a consistent performer.

The Bucks, meanwhile, receive a solid return in Bledsoe and Payton. Bledsoe is a veteran point guard who has averaged 14.6 points and 5.4 assists per game over the past five seasons. Payton is a defensive-minded guard who has emerged as a valuable contributor for the Bucks.

Conclusion

The Holiday trade is a major shake-up for both the Bucks and the Celtics. The Bucks have traded away their starting point guard, while the Celtics have acquired a much-needed upgrade at the position. It remains to be seen how these moves will impact both teams in the long run, but one thing is for sure: the Eastern Conference just got a whole lot more interesting.