The silver lining of the Portland Trail Blazers' injury-riddled season is that it's given healthy players opportunities to step up into expanded roles. Lately, that's been the case for veterans Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant. Ideally, we would've seen more of it come from Portland's youth, particularly Scoot Henderson, who continues to struggle with his shot. However, the Blazers can still benefit from their veterans carrying them past the finish line -- by selling high on them this summer.
Blazers' veterans are keeping playoff hopes alive
Many had previously written off the aging Holiday after his down year in Boston, but he's proving he still has plenty of gas left in the tank at 35. Meanwhile, Grant was viewed as one of the league's worst negative assets last season. He's had a resurgent season of his own, including a recent stretch in which he's exceeded 20 points in five of his last six games.
The Blazers are just two games behind the Golden State Warriors for the eighth seed. That's suddenly become a realistic possibility for several reasons: Golden State dealing with injuries of its own, Portland's weak remaining strength of schedule, and veterans stepping up in the absence of Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe.
That's exciting for Blazers fans, considering Portland is in the midst of a four-year playoff drought. But the overlooked factor behind Holiday and Grant contributing so significantly to this playoff push is how it affects their pivotal offseason. Both have boosted their trade value, which gives the Blazers a golden window to move at least one of their most expensive players.
Portland should trade Jrue Holiday or Jerami Grant this summer
Both are owed $34 million next season and have massive player options for 2027-28. It would be in Portland's best interest to sell high, as these veterans are only getting older and more expensive. Not to mention, their stats and, consequently, trade value would likely decline if they remained in the mix next season.
The Blazers' heavy reliance on their veterans to win games wasn't quite what fans had in mind for this season. We were excited about seeing the growth of their core five: Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija, and Donovan Clingan. That hasn't come to fruition. In fact, those five haven't played a single minute together this season.
Instead, we're watching a rebuilding team rely on aging stars to grind out wins against teams like the tanking Memphis Grizzlies, who essentially rolled out a G League team in what was a much closer game than it should've been.
None of this season has gone as expected, but it was always going to be transitional as Portland positions itself for the future. Hopefully, these extended auditions for Grant and Holiday showcase their value to teams around the league. The Blazers are going to have a difficult time retaining and upgrading their young core in the coming seasons, especially with Avdija significantly outplaying his current contract. Portland should proactively clear more space, and this offseason is the best opportunity to do so with Grant and Holiday's closing windows.