In an interview published the day before the Milwaukee Bucks traded Jrue Holiday for Damian Lillard, he revealed how much he wanted to remain with the franchise he was traded to in 2020. Lillard also cleared up his comments from May 2022 that he was contemplating retirement when his current contract expires in 2025.

“No, I don’t plan on retiring. I don’t plan on retiring,” Holiday told the Journal Sentinel, leaning back on an orange leather couch set back off the balcony of SRGN Studios in Los Angeles.

“Just them being my friends and we’ve talked about stages in basketball and sometimes you go through modes or hard spots where like, even with my family, maybe the best thing to do is retire or even just being tired and being exhausted, playing a lot of basketball. But no.

“My answer is no, I’m not retiring.”

Holiday was asked if is open to signing an extension with the Bucks.

“Would love to,” he said. “Before I even won here I think I said I’m a Buck for life and I mean that like deep in my heart. I don’t want to play for any other team. I think we have a chance to continue to do great things as the Bucks team and organization so I want to be in Milwaukee.”

Since the Bucks agreed to trade Holiday to the Blazers, there is reported interest from the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat.