Why Spurs Shouldn't Trade for Jrue Holiday
Well, it finally happened. After months of speculation, rumors, and social media ramblings, the Portland Trail Blazers finally traded franchise icon Damian Lillard to the…Milwaukee Bucks. Just like that, Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to win another Larry O’Brien Trophy. In fact, if he doesn’t, he could be considered the laughingstock of the league. In a trade completed by Portland, Milwaukee, and Phoenix, the San Antonio Spurs are left out of the picture. Or are they?
Jrue Holiday was a key part of the trade package, being shipped to Portland in exchange for Lillard. The 33-year-old point guard has been the definition of consistent for his 15 seasons in the league, being a positive presence on offense and an absolute menace on defense. He is under contract through the upcoming season and has a player option in 2024-25, but with $39 million on the table, he is almost guaranteed to opt in.
The Blazers are almost guaranteed to trade Holiday for more assets. As Portland starts a youth movement headlined by guards Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe, there is simply not enough room for Holiday to get ample playing time.
Enter the San Antonio Spurs. They are in a similar position to Portland, building around Victor Wembanyama and Jeremy Sochan. Unlike Portland, its four most promising young players – including Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell – all play off-ball. Adding Jrue Holiday to the starting five would be an instant upgrade to the lineup, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Vassell and Sochan are both already high-level defenders. Keldon Johnson is more than serviceable, and Wembanyama is expected to be an elite defender from the start. Current starting point guard Tre Jones is also a good defender, but his lack of scoring and size have held him back. He would be an excellent floor general for the second unit.
Current Spurs' PG Tre Jones drives to the basket.
Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Adding an aging player who excels with the ball in his hands may seem counterintuitive to what the Spurs are building, but Holiday has been nothing short of a professional his entire career. A two-time All-Star and NBA champion would be a welcome addition to any locker room. The only question: what would the Spurs have to give up?
Portland very clearly has one goal in mind: acquire young talent. The Spurs would have to find some cap room to make a trade work, so veterans like Doug McDermott, Reggie Bullock, and Devonte’ Graham would be on the move. In order to encourage Portland to take on older players, the Spurs would have to attach picks. Notice the plural. Maybe Toronto’s 2024 pick, Atlanta’s 2025 pick, and San Antonio’s 2026 pick would do the trick? If the Spurs are giving up two or three first-round picks, it would mean that they have fully bought in on the potential of the roster as stands, which would be a positive for fans.
Obviously, Spurs fans trust Gregg Popovich, and they seem to have fully bought into the Wembanyama hype, but it would put general manager Brian Wright on the hot seat, and with the course the Spurs are on, risking it all for a point guard ending his prime might not be the best idea.
