In a shocking turn of events, <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/damian-lillard">Damian Lillard</a> is joining the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/milwaukee-bucks">Milwaukee Bucks</a> amid speculation around a potential move to the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/miami-heat">Miami Heat</a>. This triggered anticipation over the next move for the Portland Trail Blazers, particularly concerning Jrue Holiday‘s fate.



Holiday became a Trail Blazer as part of a massive three-way trade that saw Lillard heading to the Milwaukee Bucks. While it was initially believed that the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/philadelphia-76ers">Philadelphia 76ers</a> were the frontrunners to acquire Holiday, there’s now a new contender emerging from the Eastern Conference.


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As reported by Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/boston-celtics">Boston Celtics</a> are considering exploring the possibility of bringing Holiday to their roster. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN also informed that the Trail Blazers are gearing up for trade talks involving the guard.



<h2>Damian Lillard’s Full Trade Package</h2>



From the beginning of the saga involving Lillard, it was believed thought that a three-team deal would be required for Portland to receive the compensation they wanted. This final team in the end were the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/phoenix-suns">Phoenix Suns</a>, who shipped away a former first pick.



The Milwaukee Bucks just acquired Lillard in the megadeal. In exchange, the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/portland-trail-blazers">Trail Blazers</a> attained Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, the Bucks’ 2029 unprotected first-round draft pick and unprotected swap rights from them in 2028 and 2030.



Furthermore, the Phoenix Suns adding more player to complete a roster that was in need of complementary roles as they netted Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, Keon Johnson, and Grayson Allen in the deal.



<h2>How Old Is Jrue Holiday?</h2>



Jrue Holiday is 33 years old.

The Title Contender that Is Interested in Acquiring Jrue Holiday

Damian Lillard confirms the next team he\&#039;ll play for in the 2023 season

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The Title Contender that Is Interested in Jrue Holiday - Bolavip US

miniaturas

Several high-profile NBA players have recently requested trades, and one such star is <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/damian-lillard">Damian Lillard</a>, who has expressed his desire to leave the<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/portland-trail-blazers"> Portland Trail Blazers</a>. While his preferred destination is the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/miami-heat">Miami Heat</a>, the reality of making that happen appears complex.



As reported by Marc J. Spears of ESPN, two high-ranking NBA team executives believe that “The <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/toronto-raptors">Toronto Raptors</a> enter this week as the front-runners to trade for Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard.”


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This notion supports the reports indicating that both teams have had discussions to lay the groundwork for a potential trade, indicating genuine interest from the Raptors. Whether if Lillard accepts to play for Toronto in that case remains unknown.



<h2>More Teams Eyeing Damian Lillard</h2>



Lillard’s potential landing spots have been a subject of widespread speculation since he requested a trade in July. Despite being committed to play for the Heat, several teams have expressed interest in acquiring him.



Spears mentioned a total of six teams that have shown interest since Lillard’s trade request. Those are the Raptors, Heat, <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/milwaukee-bucks">Milwaukee Bucks</a>, <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/boston-celtics">Boston Celtics</a>, <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/philadelphia-76ers">Philadelphia 76ers</a>, and <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/chicago-bulls">Chicago Bulls</a> as potential suitors.



While Lillard may have a desire to join Miami, his ability to control his destination is limited due to his current contract with the Trail Blazers, which has three more years remaining. Spears reported that a trade could materialize before the NBA’s media day, which is set for October 2.



<h2>When Was Damian Lillard Drafted?</h2>



Damian Lillard was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Not Miami: The Team Reported as the Front-Runner to Acquire Damian Lillard from Portland

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Damian Lillard could make things \&#039;ugly\&#039; if traded to an Eastern Conference team

Not Miami: The Front-Runner to Acquire Damian Lillard - Bolavip US

Not Miami: One Team Is Reportedly the Front-Runner to Acquire Damian Lillard from Portland

The Bo<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/boston-celtics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ston Celtics</a> lost a crucial piece when they traded <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/marcus-smart" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marcus Smart</a> to get <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/kristaps-porzingis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kristaps Porzingis.</a> Besides the obvious impact, it could have a bit of a ripple effect on the team.



The latest reports state that Malcolm Brogdon isn’t exactly happy to see that his name popped out in trade rumors, and he hasn’t let go of that. On top of that, there’s a glaring need for depth at the point guard position.



That’s why, according to <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA</a> insider Ramona Shelbourne, Joe Mazzulla’s coaching staff has decided to roll with Jayson Tatum at the point guard a lot more next season.



<h2>Celtics To Use Jayson Tatum At Point Guard</h2>



“Jayson Tatum is going to spend a lot of time at point guard,” Shelbourne reported. “When he was out here in Los Angeles, that was one of the things that he worked on. That’s frankly what he did quite a bit in the playoffs is initiate the offense. I think he plays even more of that role going forward this season.”



Tatum is a better passer and playmaker than people give him credit for, but that’s not exactly his biggest strength, and using him a lot in that spot could be a disservice to his game.


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Perhaps the Celtics would be better off trying to acquire more playmakers in the trade market and let their best player do what he does best, which is getting buckets in bunches.

Celtics have an unusual plan for Jayson Tatum

Celtics have an unusual plan for Jayson Tatum - Bolavip US

The <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/boston-celtics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boston Celtics </a>have made it loud and clear that they fully trust Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to lead them to the promised land, but that hasn’t been the case thus far.



Tatum is a rising star and one of the best young players in the NBA. However, he has a long history of shortcomings in the postseason, and some have questioned his character and leadership.



That’s why he wanted to set the record straight and let it be known that he’s not going to change his personality and be like Kevin Garnett, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a leader in his own way.



<h2>Jayson Tatum Talks About Being A Leader</h2>



“I’m never going to be Kevin Garnett,” Tatum told The Sports Messenger. “As much as people want me to be, that’s not who I am. The way I lead, the public may not ever see what I do.”



“When I need to, I make sure my voice is heard and I do it in my own way. I’m not going to be out there jumping up and down screaming. That’s just not my personality. As much as people want to talk about it and want me to be that, I’m not changing who I am. I lead in my own way. When I talk, everybody in that organization is going to listen. And whatever I say is always for the betterment of the team — and my teammates know that,“ he added.


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So, as much as people want him to be more vocal or show more emotion, that’s simply not going to happen. There are many ways to be a leader, and Tatum has his own.

Jayson Tatum makes one think clear about his leadership

Jayson Tatum makes one think clear about his leadership - Bolavip US

The <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/boston-celtics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boston Celtics</a> made all the headlines by signing Jaylen Brown to the largest contract extension in <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA</a> history. And while most people didn’t think he was worthy of that much money, it’s not like they could do anything about it.



But signing Brown doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to stay there throughout the course of his contract. They can always trade him if things go south or the right player becomes available.



With that in mind, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report put together a hypothetical trade that would get Donovan Mitchell in Boston, as he’s rumored to be on his way out of the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/cleveland-cavaliers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cleveland Cavaliers.</a>



<h2>NBA Rumors: Celtics Could Trade For Donovan Mitchell, But They Have To Give Up Jaylen Brown</h2>



(via Bleacher Report)



“The Trade: Brown, Payton Pritchard and 2024 first-round pick (top-four protected, via GSW) to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Donovan Mitchell



Boston would be in no rush to move Brown—which is just as well, since he can’t be traded before late January—but if it becomes obvious this core won’t capture the crown, then he’d become an obvious trade candidate.



The Shamrocks would need to move the 26-year-old for another star, and the security that comes with his contract could be coveted by Cleveland, which might be worried about Mitchell wanting out when he can reach free agency in 2025.



If the Celtics landed Mitchell, they’d have a wealth of shot-creation (and possibly enough passing) between him and Jayson Tatum. Tack on Kristaps Porziņģis to round out Boston’s new Big Three and the strong supporting cast it would have around that trio, and this could be the deal that finally helps Boston solve its championship puzzle.”


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It’s worth noting that Mitchell was quite critical of racism during his days with the Utah Jazz, so chances are he might not want to go through the same by playing in Boston, given their fan base’s reputation. Then again, this could be his best shot at winning a ring.

NBA Rumors: Celtics could trade for Donovan Mitchell but there's a catch

NBA Rumors: Celtics could trade for Donovan Mitchell but there's a catch - Bolavip US

<a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/damian-lillard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Damian Lillard’s</a> sweepstakes have been one of the biggest talking points in <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA</a> circles for quite a while. He doesn’t want to play for the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/portland-trail-blazers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Portland Trail Blazers,</a> yet they refuse to trade him.



At least, they refuse to trade him to the Miami Heat — allegedly his only desired destination. That’s why Jayson Tatum tried to get on his head and get him to join him, but to no avail.



And according to <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/boston-celtics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boston Celtics</a> insider John Karalis, GM Brad Stevens might as well be happy that Lillard snubbed Tatum’s recruitment attempts, and he would’ve had to part ways with Jaylen Brown.



<h2>Brad Stevens Doesn’t Want To Trade For Damian Lillard</h2>



“I bet Brad Stevens is secretly happy that Jayson Tatum’s recruitment of Damian Lillard didn’t work,” Karalis wrote in the Boston Journal. “How the hell was he going to match a $45 million salary with anything better than Miami without including Jaylen Brown?”



“I can see Brad pulling Tatum into his office and politely asking to be made aware of any future recruitment plans that might put him on the spot,” the insider continued.


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Stevens has the final say in every decision, but he also has to do right by his star player, so chances are he would’ve traded for Lillard against his will just to make Tatum happy. Fortunately for him, that won’t be the case now.

NBA Rumors: Brad Stevens didn't want Celtics to get Damian Lillard

NBA Rumors: Brad Stevens didn't want Celtics to get Damian Lillard - Bolavip US

The Boston Celtics made one of the most surprising trades of the NBA offsesason. Landing Kristaps Porzingis seemed like a deal they should’ve done any day of the week, but giving up Marcus Smart was a major blow.



The former lottery pick had become a mainstay at the TD Garden. He survived countless trade rumors and was the heart and soul of the team since he joined the organization.



That’s why Brad Stevens took some time to explain why he sent him to the Memphis Grizzlies, talking about how having Porzingis there will give their frontcourt much more versatility.



<h2>Brad Stevens Explains Why He Traded For Kristaps Porzingis</h2>



“The part that was very obvious was he’s 7-foot-3. He can play the 5 and the 4 and he can play with any of our 5’s and 4’s which I think is important,” Stevens explained. “If you bring in someone who is just a center, it’s hard to play them and Rob together.”



“But if you bring in someone with the skills that Kristaps has, that has the skillset that Al has, you can mix and match a little bit,” he continued. “You can stay bigger longer. That’s something we couldn’t do as much last year with our smaller groups because a lot of our best players were guards.”


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Porzingis is obvilusly more gifted than Smart on the offensive end of the floor, but he’s injury-prone, and not the leader Smart is. This could either be the move that takes them over the hump or a huge mistake, and only time will tell.

Brad Stevens explains why Celtics traded Marcus Smart

Brad Stevens explains why Celtics traded Marcus Smart - Bolavip US

For years, <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA</a> analysts and fans have debated whether the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/boston-celtics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boston Celtics</a> can find success with this core of players. Building around <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/jayson-tatum" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jayson Tatum</a> and Jaylen Brown makes sense, but they have yet to win a ring.



They were close two seasons ago, making it to the NBA Finals for the first time in over a decade. Then again, as it has happened every year, they fell short of their goal.



That’s why <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/philadelphia-76ers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Philadelphia 76ers</a> guard Patrick Beverley believes they will never win a championship together, stating that they’re too similar, and thus, don’t complement each other.



<h2>Patrick Beverley Says Jayson Tatum And Jaylen Brown Don’t Complement Each Other</h2>



“Too much of the same player, they don’t compliment each other enough,” the controversial guard said in his podcast. “They compliment each other but not enough.”



“I would add a defensive point guard, a three-and-d guy, a shot blocker, or maybe a stretch five. But with Porzingis, they’ll (Celtics) be a lot better,” Beverley added.


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Still, the Celtics don’t seem to have any intention of breaking up their duo, as they just signed Brown to the largest contract extension in NBA history, and Tatum is next in line.

Celtics will never win a ring with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, says NBA player

Celtics will never win a ring with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, says NBA player - Bolavip US

The <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/boston-celtics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boston Celtics</a> made one of the boldest moves in recent <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA </a>history to kick off this year’s offseason. Trading away Marcus Smart to get Kristaps Porzingis was as controversial as potentially impactful.



On paper, Porzingis gives them just the kind of player they need to get over the hump. But he has a history of injuries, and Smart had been their locker room leader for quite a while now.



Add losing Grant Williams to the mix as well, and <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/los-angeles-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Laker</a>s great Michael Cooper believes the Celtics got a lot worse, going as far as to question Porzingis’ pedigree in the league.



<h2>Michael Cooper Puts Celtics On Blast</h2>



“The Boston Celtics take three steps back,” Cooper said on Showtime with Coop. “How do you do that? You lose Grant Williams. You f*ck around and lose Marcus Smart, your heart and soul of your team.”



“Who the hell is he? [Porzingis]” Cooper said. “The one thing I’ll say about him is that he looks like a Celtic. That guy there was a flop in Dallas, was a flop in Washington. This guy was brought over from Europe. He is probably here to be a marquee player.”


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Porzingis hasn’t even suited up, and he’s already out with plantar fascitis, and the Celtics lost a former Defensive Player of the Year to get him. This was a risky gamble and only time will tell who won this transaction.

Former Lakers star destroys Celtics and Kristaps Porzingis

Former Lakers star destroys Celtics and Kristaps Porzingis - Bolavip US

The <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA</a> is full of what-ifs. What if the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/los-angeles-lakers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Lakers</a> traded <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/kobe-bryant" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kobe Bryant</a>? What if Kevin Garnett never left the Minnesota Timberwolves? What if Draymond Green didn’t get suspended?



No franchise has a perfect track record with this kind of thing. That’s why being a GM is so difficult, as every minor — or major — move you make could have huge implications.



That could’ve been the case when Danny Ainge almost convinced the Chicago Bulls to trade Jimmy Butler. However, to get him, he would’ve have to give up the picks that ended up being Jayson Tatum and <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/jaylen-brown" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jaylen Brown.</a>



<h2>Danny Ainge Almost Landed Jimmy Butler</h2>



“Some of the best trades I ever made were the ones I wasn’t able to make,” Ainge said on the Knuckleheads podcast. “You know like I was trying to get Jimmy Butler from Chicago when I was in Boston, but they wanted a lot. And so we didn’t do it.“



“It ended up, it would’ve been Jaylen and Jayson — Both those draft picks that we got Jaylen and Jayson with,” Ainge explained. “So, that was one where I loved Jimmy and was trying to get him. That was probably one.”


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As great as Butler is, I believe most Celtics fans would rather get two young stars instead of just one. At the end of the day, time proved Ainge was right to kill this deal.

The trade that almost sent Jimmy Butler to the Boston Celtics

The trade that almost sent Jimmy Butler to the Boston Celtics - Bolavip US

The <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/boston-celtics">Boston Celtics</a> are taking huge risks to win their first championship since 2008. A blockbuster trade to get Kristaps Porzingis and the biggest contract in NBA history for <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/jaylen-brown">Jaylen Brown</a>.



In the process, Marcus Smart went to the Grizzlies, but Jayson Tatum remains as the leader of a team which should be considered favorite to reach the NBA Finals in the Eastern Conference.


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Though there are other contenders like the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/miami-heat">Heat</a>, the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/milwaukee-bucks">Bucks</a> or the Sixers, the Celtics’ roster is superb. However, just a few months before a new season begins in the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/nba">NBA</a>, there are bad news about Porzingis.



<h2>Will Kristaps Porzingis play at the 2023 FIBA World Cup?</h2>



Kristaps Porzingis will not play at the 2023 FIBA World Cup with Latvia because of a plantar fasciitis. The decision was made after many talks with the medical staff of the national team and the Boston Celtics.







“This is very difficult for me. I feel responsible with myself and with thousands of fans at Latvia, but I’ve decided not to play in the World Cup. After many weeks of recovery, the plantar fasciitis on my foot still doesn’t let me be ready to compete”.



<h2>How long will Kristaps Porzingis be out with Celtics?</h2>



The 2023-2024 season is just two months away and, at the moment, there’s no official timetable for Kristaps Porzingis. This means there are no guarantees he’ll be at the opener with the Boston Celtics on October 24.


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However, according to a report from The Athletic, the Celtics are not concerned about this injury update. A source confirmed they believe there won’t be any setback. Porzingis has a contract valid until the 2025-2026 season with a total of $96 million.

Boston Celtics