Jrue Holiday Trade: Why it Doesn’t Make Sense for the OKC Thunder

There’s no debate that Jrue Holiday is one of the most impactful point guards in the league, but Oklahoma City should not pursue him.

Following the three-team blockbuster trade between the Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks that sent Damian Lillard East, there’s still secondary moves to be made following the deal. Most notably, Jrue Holiday is now on the Blazers but appears to be a likely candidate to be re-routed at some point this season.

Holiday is one of the best two-way point guards in the entire NBA. He’s a lockdown defender and the type of player that has championship pedigree. Truly, Holiday could help any team around the league instantly. This includes the Oklahoma City Thunder, who appear to be very close to breaking out as a Western Conference contender.

With that in mind, there’s a few reasons this type of deal wouldn’t make sense for OKC.

For starters, Holiday is set to make nearly $35 million this year. As such, not only would the Thunder need to trade away assets, but also large contracts. This means a player like Lu Dort would likely have to be shipped out. This would be an impulse move that doesn’t fit the current rebuild plan, which is based on patience.

Not only does he not fit the timeline of the Thunder at age 33, but he has openly discussed that he’s strongly considering retirement after his current contract is up. He has this season on the books and a player option the following, so there’s a real chance that acquiring Holiday could be a one or two year rental.

Finally, this Thunder team already has so many young guards. While Holiday would be a great mentor, help the team win and teach these younger guys many great things, it could also just as easily hinder their development. The best course of action is to just let the young backcourt get time on the floor and improve.

Again, Jrue Holiday is a fantastic player and would help the Thunder immediately, but for several reasons it isn’t the right time to make a trade for a player like him.

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