The Portland Trail Blazers' front office was criticized for acquiring Jrue Holiday from the Boston Celtics last summer. Just one season later, that narrative has completely flipped, as Holiday has proven he has plenty of gas left in the tank at 35.
Part of the criticism surrounding the trade was that Portland, a rebuilding team, was taking on a declining player on a massive salary. However, Holiday has justified his $32.4 million contract this year, particularly during Portland's playoff push.
The Blazers likely wouldn't be in this position as a postseason team had they not acquired Holiday, and better yet, he's giving them a chance to pull off what would be a major first-round upset against the San Antonio Spurs.
Jrue Holiday is proving he's still one of the best two-way guards
Those odds are unfortunately slimmer after the Blazers lost a pivotal Game 3, 120-108. That was essentially a must-win game, playing at home against a Spurs team that was without superstar Victor Wembanyama. But it wasn't for Holiday's lack of trying, as the Blazers star finished with a team-high 29 points along with six rebounds, five assists, and four steals.
Holiday has had an incredibly underrated NBA career, successfully boosting the ceiling of every team he's played on. He's simply a winning player, in large part thanks to his rare ability to be a "Ditto" on the court, fitting the mold of whatever it takes for that team to succeed. We saw that during his championship stops in Milwaukee and Boston, and he's now having that same winning impact in Portland. Holiday carried the Blazers to their first postseason appearance in five years. Now, Portland is benefiting from that championship experience and his ability to be a playoff riser.
With the Blazers, Holiday has taken on an increased offensive role as this team continues to struggle with shooting and playmaking. He's also still finding ways to be effective with his two-way impact despite his declining athleticism. That was a concern coming over from Boston, where Holiday had a relatively down season. However, he's shed those concerns with a resurgent first year in Rip City, proving that it was more a result of a diminished role and injury woes.
Portland's trade is going perfectly to plan
This trade has turned out better than anyone expected. Portland was able to swap Anfernee Simons for Holiday without surrendering any draft capital, and that looks like a better decision now that the two are on different trajectories. Simons is still a great player, but the market is cooling off on these undersized, offensive-minded guards. Portland got ahead of that curve, landing one of the best two-way guards in the league.
The concern wasn't that they surrendered too many assets; it was that Holiday was too expensive, especially at his age. After this 29-point performance in the most important game of the season, it's safe to say Holiday is worth every penny.
The Blazers traded for Holiday as a bridge between their two timelines. We're already seeing the short-term value of having that veteran, but there's also a long-term benefit to bringing him into the picture. That veteran experience will do wonders for the development of Portland's up-and-coming backcourt. Scoot Henderson, in particular, has already shown signs of learning from Holiday, stepping up his two-way game throughout the postseason as well.
Portland may have a tough decision regarding Holiday heading into the summer. With Henderson's emergence and Damian Lillard's return, we could see a case for trading him. But Portland is a rising team that wants to be a contender sooner rather than later. Holiday is going to be a key piece to help them reach those heights, and as Game 3 proved, he's too valuable to let go.
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