Jrue Holiday was reportedly stunned when he heard that he was traded by the Milwaukee Bucks to bring in Damian Lillard. After a few days as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, the defensive stalwart was shipped to the Boston Celtics. The shocking news didn’t just affect basketball fans. It also disturbed Lauren Holiday, the point guard’s wife.
The Bucks engineered the trade without telling anyone, not even franchise cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo. They knew the two-time MVP’s relationship with Holiday and didn’t want that to affect their decision-making. When the trade became official, almost everyone was caught by surprise.
The Holidays have been consistently recognized for their humanitarian work. Jrue Holiday and his wife earned the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award at the ESPYs this year. They have rooted themselves firmly in Milwaukee.
Cavalier Johnson, Milwaukee’s mayor, appreciated what the Holidays meant to the community. He thanked the family for everything they’ve done for the city both on and off the court.
Jrue Holiday’s wife said that she was “crushed” by the need to move to another place. She added in her message:
“I’m not sharing this to bash anyone. I am sharing this so people can see the humans behind the business transactions. Because contrary to the cliché, it’s personal, meaning there are people’s lives that are affected. It’s never ‘just business.'”