Jrue Holiday playing against now teammate, Damian Lillard (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Jrue Holiday wants to make it very clear that he’s looking to win in his first season with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The two-time NBA champion was traded in the offseason to the Blazers — he actually was traded to Portland a couple years prior without ever playing a game — after spending the past two years with the Boston Celtics.
The 35-year-old guard is looking to bring a winning culture to the Blazers. Portland hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2021.
“Goal is to win, says Holiday in a one-on-one interview with RG. “The goal is to win and to make some noise. I think that after the last few years of what has happened after Damian Lillard being traded — and then now Dame’s back — I think it’s an exciting time here in Portland. It’s an exciting time to be a Trail Blazer, and I’m excited to be part of it.”
Damian Lillard — one of the greatest players in franchise history — is back. However, he’ll miss the 2025-26 season as he recovers from a torn Achilles.
That means Holiday — as the team’s oldest healthy player — is tasked with leading a young and inexperienced roster to the playoffs. However, they have some intriguing young pieces in guards Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson.
“I feel like winning and competing and showing these guys that have so much talent,” says Holiday of the Blazers. “I don’t think y’all understand like Scoot and Shaedon are so athletic and so smart the way that they play the game. They’re going to be so good, and I feel like all they need is time. I feel like the time is now, because they have all the tools. I’m super excited to play with them.”
Holiday Reveals Discussions With Dame
Both Holiday and Lillard are the same age. Lillard returns to Portland after spending the past two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. The nine-time All-Star spent 11 seasons with the Blazers and established his name in Portland, leading the team to a Western Conference Finals appearance and eight consecutive playoff appearances.
“Just chopping it up,” says Holiday of his talks with Lillard since joining Portland. “We’ve known each other for a long time now, but even when he first re-signed with the team, him texting me, ‘Man, we really got a chance to be good.’
This is Dame, who we know just came off an injury, and even just seeing how excited he is to be back, how excited he is to be a part of this organization and this team at this moment. It’s obviously really encouraging just to know the winning culture is coming to Portland.”
Holiday Excited to Play Under Billups
Holiday will have the opportunity to play under Chauncey Billups for the first time. Billups was one of the most respected guards in the NBA when Holiday entered the league in 2009, winning Finals MVP in 2004 as a member of the Detroit Pistons.
“I’m old enough to have watched him play,” says Holiday. “He was one of the guys who I wouldn’t necessarily say mirrored my game after. But I felt like I played similar to how he played. He was very smart, he was obviously more than solid on one side of the ball. The way that he thinks the game, I feel like I think the game the same way.”
Holiday gives major credit to his 48-year-old head coach for his versatility and how he used to control the game as a point guard.
“It’s by watching him, by what he did in Detroit, then making it to the Finals those years, what he did in Denver, how he played like a natural point guard,” says Holiday of Billups. “Which was a pass-first guard, but then also get a bucket if he needed to or when he needed to.”
“How to get others involved,” Holiday continues. “He has Rip Hamilton coming off the down screen and he needs to get him the shot, or he has Rasheed Wallace in the post, is probably barking at him. But how he controlled the game just from his personality, and you can see as a coach, he’s kind of brought that over from as a player to a coach and instilled it.”
Retirement Not in Sight
Holiday’s current contract extends through the 2027-28 season, with a player option in the final year of the deal. When asked how much longer he wants to continue to play, Holiday says there’s no target date and that he’ll continue to play as long as he can.
“Just kind of going with it,” says Holiday when asked how much longer he wants to play. “I’ve been blessed enough to play for this long, and I’ve never taken that for granted. I know this is a dream come true for most young kids, but I know 17 years is a dream come true for any 35-year-old who gets a chance to stay as healthy as possible and to play the game that they love. I’ll just continue playing until I can’t anymore.”