Jrue Holiday made it clear that he can play multiple positions. He will finally get that opportunity with the Portland Trail Blazers under his new head coach, Chauncey Billups.
“I think I play every position, Holiday said at his introductory media availability. "I’ve proven that and shown that throughout my career. I’m a complete basketball player. You can’t put one position on someone, the way the game is changing now. Guys who have never played point guard are coming into the league and playing point guard. I’m a good fit with anyone.”
Billups will help Holiday play to his strengths
Everyone knows Holiday is a versatile player, but he hasn't had the opportunity to show it to his full extent. Last season with the Celtics, he played point guard 66 percent of the time, with the remaining 34 percent coming at the shooting guard position. In Milwaukee, Holiday was almost exclusively used as a point guard. He only played more as a shooting guard from 2017-20 in New Orleans, where he shared a backcourt with point guards like Rajon Rondo, Elfrid Payton, and Lonzo Ball. But even during that stint, Holiday only played small forward three percent of the time, per Cleaning the Glass.
That could change under Billups.
The NBA is positionless, and has been for quite some time. But credit Billups and general manager Joe Cronin for evolving with the times. Thanks to their trades for Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija, Portland's roster is built on length and athleticism, allowing them to be a switchable defensive team. Holiday will only bolster that strength as someone who can guard more than just the positions he's played.
At 35 years old, Holiday has lost a step, as evidenced by his 11.1 points and 3.9 assists last season in Boston. Although he's still capable, he's not as elite a point of attack defender. He's also no longer a reliable enough playmaker to be the primary ballhandler consistently. At this point in his career, Holiday is better suited as a complementary piece alongside Portland's young core, which is exactly what they brought him in to be.
Part of the reason behind moving on from Anfernee Simons was to clear the path for Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. Although Holiday is another guard, he's also capable of playing more positions than Simons. His versatility makes him a better fit as someone who can fill gaps rather than a focal point that blocks their development. The Henderson/Simons/Sharpe trio never worked, primarily for defensive reasons. But a Henderson/Sharpe/Holiday lineup could, at least for stretches.
Holiday's best bet to prolong his career could be transitioning from playing the one/two positions to the two/three. But as Holiday said himself, he's able to play with anyone. He'll get to showcase that versatility even more under Billups.