Last summer, the Portland Trail Blazers' decision to ship Anfernee Simons to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Jrue Holiday was met with skepticism. But they should be feeling vindicated after the veteran helped them reach the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
It doesn't discount the notion that the one-for-one swap was questionable at the time. After all, the Blazers let go of a reliable, albeit inefficient, scorer for an older replacement.
Clearly, they won the trade by a landslide. Not only was Simons unable to find his footing with the Celtics, but he was traded again at the deadline. He was sent to the Chicago Bulls, where he averaged just 15.2 points per game on 43.8 percent shooting.
Jrue's value was on full display during the Play-In Tournament
All season long, Holiday was able to prove that it was worth it for the Blazers to absorb the remainder of the four-year, $134 million deal he signed with the Celtics in 2024. Keep in mind that it has a $37.2 million player option for the 2027-28 campaign.
He turned in 16.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game in the regular season, while sinking a career-high 2.6 3-pointers per contest.
But as expected, it was on defense where he has really shone. That much was evident when Portland upset the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday to earn the No. 7 seed for the Western Conference Playoffs. He helped limit Devin Booker to 22 points (six in the second half) and 7-17 shooting.
On offense, Holiday was the Blazers' second-leading scorer behind Deni Avdija with 21 points. He could have shot better from the field (7-18), though he deserves credit for kicking off the team's rally from a 100-89 deficit in the fourth quarter with five straight points.
What does the future hold for Jrue in Portland?
It remains to be seen whether the six-time All-Defensive selection will keep donning the Blazers uniform in the years to come.
For now, he is expected to play a pivotal role in the squad's hopes of stunning the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. While Victor Wembanyama will draw much of the attention, Portland cannot overlook the fact that the Spurs have guards and wings, including Stephon Castle, De'Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, and Dylan Harper, who can get hot at any time. With Holiday, though, the Blazers have a chance.
Beyond this postseason, Rip City is probably hoping that Holiday has a place on the roster. He fits so well with the core group of Avdija, Donovan Clingan, Toumani Camara, and even Damian Lillard because of his two-way genius. The only problem is that he will already be 36 by the start of the 2026-27 season, and his exorbitant contract might hinder the organization's financial flexibility.
Still, Holiday's performance to this point is proof that trading for a productive two-time champion who has earned a reputation as a beloved leader and locker-room presence can be worth the gamble for a playoff hopeful.
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