Nov 10, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) drives for the basket against Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) in the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Blazers News: Nike Surprisingly Disses Portland with All-Star's Signature Sneakers

Originally posted on Portland Trail Blazers on SI
By Alex Kirschenbaum | Last updated Aug 17, 2025 6:00 PM ET

Nike has surprisingly dissed its own backyard with an All-Star Portland Trail Blazers player's new signature sneakers.

The iconic sportswear brand, which is based in Portland, has opted to ultimately still release two-time All-Star now-Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday's GT Cut 3 Player Exclusive Boston Celtics-era sneakers from the 2024-25 season in stores.

Per Nice Kicks, Holiday's fresh footwear is still slated to hit shelves on August 28.

Jrue Holiday x Nike Air Zoom G.T. Cut 3 "Celtics" is releasing on August 28 pic.twitter.com/N2UmfVI7M0
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) August 4, 2025

Holiday had a decorated-if-brief run with Boston. The 6-foot-4 UCLA product, now 35, was initially traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to Portland as part of the Trail Blazers' blockbuster Damian Lillard deal. But Portland, understanding it could extract major value for a win-now star player like Holiday, moved him again, shipping the former 2021 Bucks champ to the Celtics.

Boston, now armed with Holiday and fellow new summer trade acquisition Kristaps Porzingis, instantly emerged as the best two-way team in the 2023-24 season, securing the league's best record (64-18) en route to an NBA-record 18th title that summer.

While capturing his second league title, Holiday was named to his sixth All-Defensive Team that year, and finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year honors. Later that summer, he claimed his second Olympic gold medal as a core part of the Team USA men's basketball squad at the 2024 Paris games.

Holiday struggled through a mallet finger injury during Boston's 2024-25 title defense. In his 16th season, Holiday averaged 11.1 points (his lowest output since his 2009-10 rookie season) on .443/.353/.909 shooting splits, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals a night.

The Celtics finished with a 61-21 record and the East's No. 2 seed, but was upset in the second round of the playoffs by the New York Knicks amidst mounting injury issues to Holiday and others.

Now, Holiday joins a newly re-signed Lillard on an interesting Trail Blazers squad. Lillard will likely be out for the entire year recuperating from an Achilles tendon tear, leaving Holiday to provide defensive moxie and veteran leadership to a talented young team hoping to improve off a 36-46 record and four straight lottery seasons under head coach Chauncey Billups.