A few days ago, the NBA was hit with a major shock wave when Damian Lillard was sent to the Milwaukee Bucks. Early in the summer, he had asked the Portland Trail Blazers to trade him. Many expected him to go to the Miami Heat, his clear preference. Instead, he will turn a championship contender in the Bucks into championship favorites.
The Bucks gave up veteran star guard Jrue Holiday to get Lillard. Portland made Holiday available via trade right away, and he is headed to the Boston Celtics for big man Robert Williams III and reigning Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon.
Heat fans may be very upset their team missed on both Lillard and Holiday, but Lakers fans may also be a little annoyed that their team’s archrivals have seemingly grown stronger. Holiday’s defensive prowess will make up for the loss of former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart early in the offseason, and he’s a much better scorer and facilitator than Smart.
Fans of the Purple and Gold had a range of reactions on X, formally known as Twitter.
Jrue Holiday to the CELTICS?! Lakers in 4 pic.twitter.com/35x5EkHnV5
— William (@vq_william) October 1, 2023
When you’re a Lakers fan acknowledging the Jrue Holiday trade and hoping you meet in the Finals pic.twitter.com/0OAJikTSup
— Basketball (& Taylor) (@bballswiftie) October 2, 2023
They got better. By how much, unclear.
6MOY is now Derrick White w/o the brittleness.
Smart > Jrue Holiday (also a great defender, but brings playmaking)
RWill > Porzingis (also a rim protector, but also a scorer/spacer)
Also RWill makes KP look like an Iron Man.
— Lakers Legacy (@LakersLegacyPod) October 1, 2023
If you ever heard jrue Holiday talk he seems like he will love boston LOL
— Lakers in 6 (@A1Shooter_) October 1, 2023
I love Jrue Holiday – but I think losing Williams can hurt them a bit. Their interior defense now hinges upon only Porzingis and Horford, and their offense is still going to be pretty clunky down the stretch.
I think it's a good trade as of now, but a lot remains to be seen
— Lakers Insiders (@LALInsiders) October 1, 2023
