The Milwaukee Bucks are not a good team, and they haven't been for several years. Where did things go wrong? Well, many would point to the team's decision to move Jrue Holiday after the upset loss to the Miami Heat in 2023. Holiday was an essential piece on both ends and helped propel some of the best Bucks teams ever. The current Bucks are missing his presence mightily.
In a new article from ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, it was revealed that Giannis Antetokounmpo has told Holiday how much he and the team miss his defense and leadership. They aren't the only ones. Everyone who has watched the Bucks this season has felt the same way.
Holiday had shortcomings, but the Bucks are missing him
Holiday was everything teams want in a lead guard. Sure, he could go off for 20 points any given night in the association, but it was always the defense that commanded headlines. A six-time All-Defensive honoree, the guard made a living taking on the toughest players in the game every night and making every possession a matchup nightmare.
Since his departure, Milwaukee's defense has been horrific. While Ryan Rollins has emerged as a nice backcourt defender, he's not on Holiday's level. Holiday set the tone on defense constantly, but in the years since he left, this team has become a turnstile against its foes. Giannis is absolutely right to miss what he brought to the mix.
Perhaps even more than the defense, Milwaukee could use the leadership right now. The team has no clear direction. No one seems to know their role. Frustration is in the air. The chemistry is not working out, even though it's March. Holiday was always a connector for this team off the floor and could have been useful in rallying the group.
Instead, the team is stuck in the mud, destined to miss the NBA Playoffs for the first time in a decade. Holiday's playoff shortcomings in 2022 and 2023 were notable, but, hey, at least those Bucks teams made it to the playoffs for those shortcomings to even happen.
Trading Jrue Holiday has been a disaster for the Bucks
Trading Jrue Holiday was always an eye-opening move for the Milwaukee Bucks. Yes, considering the return involved Damian Lillard, one of the best point guards in the business at the time, it made plenty of sense. However, Holiday was an anchor for the Bucks. Both on and off the floor, he was one of their leaders. He helped get them over the hump and bring the first title to town in 50 years.
It felt like the guard was destined to spend the rest of his career as a Buck and eventually see his No. 21 jersey rise up into the Fiserv Forum rafters someday. Well, one of those two things can happen at this point. While the move to trade Holiday raised Milwaukee's ceiling initially, it has shockingly sent them spiraling into a cesspool of mediocrity since.
The frustrating part is that while the Milwaukee Bucks have nosedived in success, Holiday has stayed on the winning track. Not only did he take a back seat to help the Boston Celtics secure a title, but he is currently having a resurgent season with the Portland Trail Blazers and looks like a great veteran piece as they aim to crawl back into contention.
Hindsight is everything. How could a duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard not work? Well, mostly because of health, poor roster management, and Doc Rivers, but that's already been discussed ad nauseam. If that offer is on the table, most teams are doing it. Yet, it appears that the Milwaukee Bucks undervalued Holiday's presence just a bit.
Holiday's absence alone hasn't been the reason for Milwaukee's downfall (firing Mike Budenholzer and botching his replacement certainly hasn't helped), but it has played a massive part.