Former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry speaks about trading for Jrue Holiday - "We really believed that Jrue was the missing piece."

Marc Lasry was adamant about landing Jrue Holiday in 2020.

© Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry may no longer run the Eastern Conference powerhouse, having sold his stake in the team earlier this year. However, he has plenty of memories from his near-decade ownership of the Bucks, with one of the most defining being their trade for All-Star guard Jrue Holiday in November 2020.

While the Bucks got panned for that transaction, especially for giving up so many precious draft picks, Lasry was adamant they made the right deal.

“We really believed that Jrue was the missing piece,” said Lasry in an interview with GQ.

Blockbuster deal

It was in April 2014 when Lasry assumed ownership of the Bucks after teaming up with Wes Edens to purchase the team from previous owner Herb Kohl for $550 million. Six years later, Lasry and the Bucks would make another franchise-altering deal, sending away guards Eric Bledsoe and George Hill along with three future first-round picks and two additional draft pick swaps for Holiday and Sam Merrill.

At the time, Holiday was coming off spending seven seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans. Although he posted solid numbers of 17.6 points and 6.8 assists, the Pelicans experienced not much success. And in the NBA, where draft picks are considered a high-value currency, the Bucks' willingness to part with so many of them for Holiday puzzled and angered many fans and supporters.

But Lasry was undeterred:

“At the time, we got panned in the press that we gave up too much, that we gave up three first-round draft picks and two pick swaps for somebody who wasn't an All-Star and was older. Like, What are the Bucks doing? We really believed that Jrue was the missing piece,” shared Lasry.

Jrue is a Buck.#FearTheDeer | @Jrue_Holiday11 pic.twitter.com/LSdsrnzHlM

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 24, 2020

Brilliant fit

Lasry believed that Holiday was the perfect guard to lead an up-and-coming squad led by Giannis Antetokounmpo. Not only did he have excellent two-way skills, but his personality was ideal for the team.

“Part of that is we thought, as a person, that he was a plus. You couldn't have a better person on your team. As a player, he's exceptionally talented, and other people don't see what you see. And so that's why we were willing to give up so much,” said Lasry.

Lasry’s gamble paid off in spades as the Bucks won the NBA title the next season and are considered a perennial title contender in the Association.