The Portland Trail Blazers have not done much winning in recent years, but former Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday could be the guy to get an up-and-coming roster back in competitive shape. His championship experience, leadership on the floor, and sturdy defense will help ground a young team that, whatever its flaws, could be better than expected this season. If they do take that next step toward playoff contention, the decision to bring in Holiday will have something to do with it.
Having Holiday around benefits youthful Blazers in more ways than one
The Trail Blazers have not finished at or above .500 since 2020-21. In the meantime, they have lost as many as 55 and 61 games. Although they never quite got over the hump during Damian Lillard's heyday, he kept them relevant each season by willing his teams to eight straight postseasons. Recent years have stood in stark contrast, to say the least.
The tide is changing for the better. Portland took a clear stance on its outlook as an organization by trading Anfernee Simons for Holiday earlier this summer. While Simons can put up points and is a decent secondary creator, the Trail Blazers already have guards who can do that, and Simons is not a good defender. He's also a pending free agent.
In committing to Holiday instead, the team patched its defensive holes in the backcourt, added a bona fide floor general who knows what it's like to win, and pulled off a savvy hedge between present and future.
As the starting point guard to begin the season, Holiday should be right at home in the role he commanded for three seasons in Milwaukee and two in Boston. Shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe, 22, should learn a lot playing alongside the two-time NBA champion, as will 21-year-old Scoot Henderson when he returns from a hamstring injury.
While past his prime, Holiday can still contribute on both sides of the ball, particularly on defense. Last season for the Celtics, he compiled 5.1 win shares in 62 games and posted a -3.9 on–off defensive rating, which ranked in the 81st percentile. Just as importantly, he will mentor the young Trail Blazers playmakers like Sharpe, Henderson, and budding star Deni Avdija as the franchise solidifies a long-term core.
At 35 himself, Holiday is easily the oldest player on the roster, along with Damian Lillard, who is unlikely to play this year as he recovers from a torn Achilles. Between the 76ers, Pelicans, Bucks, and Celtics, Holiday has played in 97 playoff games. That experience should streamline the Trail Blazers' efforts to build a winning culture.
While eyeing the future, they can also field a competent team this season. It would be no surprise to see them win more than the 33 to 35 games most projections give them. Contending for a play-in spot in the crowded Western Conference would be a feel-good step in the right direction. Guided by Holiday, this talented squad should have at least a puncher's chance.