The Path Blazers launched Jrue Vacation on Tuesday morning in Portland, the place he expressed pleasure a couple of distinctive problem and appreciated the Celtics for giving him a heads-up that they’d commerce him this offseason. Boston acquired Anfernee Simons within the deal, who’s but to obtain a uniform quantity or introduction himself from the Celtics.
“I used to be at residence in California. I ended up getting a name from Brad, and he ended up telling me a little bit bit earlier than,” Vacation stated. “I used to be excited. I knew that clearly I bought traded right here earlier than, so it was form of full circle, speaking to Chauncey (Billups) about it, speaking to Joe (Cronin) about it and I actually do recognize what they did the primary time round. “That actually (did) imply quite a bit for me and my profession. I do know this time round, simply speaking to them, they’re simply form of like, ‘I bought one other probability to get you,’ they usually thought that I’d be a superb piece right here. So excited to be right here.”
Brad Stevens additionally defined that he ready Vacation, Kristaps Porziņģis and their brokers for the likelihood that they may depart Boston this offseason. They understood as veterans, he stated, that the second apron put the Celtics in a troublesome spot. Regardless of preliminary stories that Vacation didn’t like touchdown in Portland, Jake Fischer famous on The Backyard Report that he acquired encouragement from Damian Lillard, who reached out and talked up the group.
Solely eight days later after Boston dealt Vacation, the Bucks launched Lillard, who Vacation texted an emoji to. Vacation had lengthy wished to workforce up with Lillard, and whereas he’ll have to attend longer to play collectively as a result of Lillard’s achilles restoration, the shock determination by Lillard to return to Portland invigorated Vacation’s curiosity in what the Blazers have deliberate forward.
“Clearly, Dame loves Portland and he’s been right here for years and I do know his household is right here,” Vacation stated. “To have the ability to play with him on the identical workforce is one thing I’ve wished to do for a very long time, even earlier than I left New Orleans, that was one thing that I’ve at all times wished to do. Having the ability to do it again right here, particularly with a workforce that Dame has actually placed on his again for a very long time is basically cool.”
The Blazers traded Lillard to Milwaukee in 2023 for Vacation and draft picks earlier than Portland re-routed him to Boston for Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon and extra draft alternatives. Cronin labored with Vacation on discovering a preferable vacation spot, and it resulted in Vacation successful his second NBA title instantly. In Milwaukee, Lillard lived in Vacation’s home whereas enjoying for the Bucks, and the pair Lillard revealed that one in all their greetings earlier than a Bucks-Celtics recreation concerned him complaining to Vacation concerning the WiFi.
Lillard returning to the Blazers required desperation by the Bucks to take care of competitiveness because the clock ticks on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s time with the Bucks, together with an achilles tear that adopted a blood clot that Lillard shortly recovered from earlier than the playoffs. He’ll miss most if not all the 2025-26 season earlier than returning in full for his age-36 season. The Blazers are trying to make the playoffs for the primary time since 2020-21 after slowly rebuilding for 4 years below Chauncey Billups, who Vacation has admired. Portland received 26-of-44 from mid-January by means of April to complete three video games again of the play-in. They’ve mentioned offense, Vacation stated, and praised the protection the Blazers performed final season. He touted his position-less recreation and taking pictures as methods to slot in alongside Lillard and Scott Henderson.
“I feel I’ve been within the recreation to know that it’s not at all times gonna be the brightest or the most effective or the best,” Vacation stated. “I feel coming to a workforce and a corporation that has the character of this workforce and group makes basketball nice. That’s why you need to come right here and play, since you really feel such as you’re a part of one thing larger than your self.”
In any other case the Blazers boast ascending younger expertise all through their lineup, together with Henderson, Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan, who will take over for Deandre Ayton at heart, together with Summer season League sensation Yang Hansen, who impressed Vacation. Williams III, one other former Celtic, hopes to recuperate from back-to-back-to-back injury-riddled seasons the place he failed to succeed in 36 video games.
Vacation didn’t deal with points together with his bodily that reportedly led the Blazers to take away two second-rounders initially despatched to Boston within the first stories concerning the commerce. Portland in the end felt snug to maneuver ahead with buying the 34-year-old, who has three-years, $104 million left on his contract. He handled knee, shoulder and groin points final 12 months earlier than breaking his pinky finger earlier than the playoffs and struggling a hamstring ailment that pressured him to overlook time within the first spherical. Vacation performed 62 common season video games earlier than showing in 8-of-11 within the playoffs. This summer season featured extra relaxation after he performed a big function within the Olympics with Crew USA final offseason.
“I can simply be me,” Vacation stated. “I don’t actually know easy methods to do anything. Simply come right here and be the person who I’ve at all times been and take a look at to not simply assist out as a lot as potential, however attempt to win. Clearly, with the group and the teaching employees, they’ve an ideal teaching employees, Corridor-of-Fame coach in Chauncey, however I feel as a present participant, who’s received, been by means of the wrestle not too way back to win a championship, I nonetheless have that feeling and that itch, so I’m nearer to what that feeling is like and the way onerous it’s to really win.”
