Jrue Holiday medical issue alters Celtics-Trail Blazers trade

The Trail Blazers saved two draft picks for themselves after altering the trade that landed them Jrue Holiday from the Celtics.

Holiday, 35, was dealt to Portland last month in exchange for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks, but when the trade officially went through on Monday, the picks were no longer part of the move.

According to The Oregonian’s Aaron Fentress, Holiday’s medical assessments uncovered some issues, leading to the Blazers seeking the draft picks be dropped from the trade and make the deal a straight Holiday-for-Simons swap.

It’s not uncommon for trades to be nixed altogether after a player fails his physical with a new team, as the NBA saw it happen at the trade deadline this past season when the Lakers didn’t like what they saw in then-Hornets center Mark Williams’ exams.

But in Holiday’s case, “a recent review of Holiday’s medicals revealed nothing substantial enough to warrant the trade being negated. However, there was enough there to lead the Blazers to slightly alter the terms of the deal.”

It’s unclear what issue or issues Portland found, but The Oregonian’s report stated that Holiday “is considered to be healthy.”

Holiday missed 20 games this past season with multiple injuries, which is not far off from his game totals of other recent years, as he’s played less than 60 games just once in his last 10 seasons.

The 35-year-old guard’s play could’ve been hampered by something, though, as he did have a bit of a down year after playing a crucial part in Boston’s 2024 NBA Championship.

Holiday’s points and assists per game were each the lowest of his career since his rookie season and it was the first time since 2019-20 that he did not make an All-Defensive team — an honor he had received in seven of his last eight seasons before the 2024-25 campaign.

The Celtics’ trading of Holiday was primarily financially motivated, as the aging guard is owed $102 million over the next three seasons, so losing out on the extra picks likely isn’t viewed too poorly from Boston.

As for Portland, Holiday slots into a young team where the fit is to be determined, should he stick around on the roster for the length of his deal.