Subscribe
Follow Us
The Damian Lillard trade speculation is over. On Wednesday afternoon, it was the Milwaukee Bucks who were able to land the seven-time All-Star in what turned out to be the biggest deal of the offseason. In a three-team trade involving the Phoenix Suns as well, the Bucks were able to acquire Lillard at the cost of giving up Jrue Holiday and other assets, pairing him with the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton ahead of what they believe can be a serious title pursuit.
The league's focus has now shifted to the start of training camp and Media Day on October 2, yet there still seems to be one more domino that needs to fall as a result of this Lillard trade. Milwaukee gave up Holiday, a two-time All-Star guard, to the Portland Trail Blazers in Wednesday's deal, instantly creating yet another trade situation. Holiday is not expected to remain on the Blazers, with the possibility of him being traded again very much in play.
Despite being 33 years old, Holiday has consistently proven to be a reliable secondary star for his team. Instrumental to the success of the Bucks through the years, the veteran is highly regarded as one of the best perimeter defenders in the entire NBA. The upside Lillard presented to the Bucks on the offensive end of the floor was too much to pass up on, which is why they ultimately decided to part ways with Holiday, a move they did not necessarily want to make ahead of the new season.
While he is now technically a member of the Blazers, Holiday being dealt again can present a lot of benefits to Portland seeing as they are entering a rebuild in the post-Damian Lillard era. Ready to contend for a championship right away, Holiday has already begun to draw the attention of some of the best teams in the league.
Featured in a total of 67 games this past year, 65 of which he started in for Milwaukee, Holiday ended up averaging 19.3 points, 7.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 38.4 percent from three-point range. He also averaged 1.2 steals per game.
A complete two-way presence in the backcourt who can be a leader for his team, it is clear to see why interest in Holiday exists across the league. To make things better, he is entering the final year of his contract, one that some teams can easily maneuver around knowing that they do not necessarily need to commit to him long-term.
When it comes to winning a championship, teams not only need starpower, but they need smart, impactful players who can also make winning plays defensively. This is exactly what Holiday brings to his organization, which is why the following teams could all express interest in his services.
Miami Heat
It seemed destined that the Miami Heat were going to land Damian Lillard. That was his preferred destination all throughout the offseason and Lillard believed going to the Heat would present him with the best path to winning a championship — his ultimate goal. The Blazers and Heat never really discussed a potential trade in depth and the two sides were not in communication in recent weeks leading up to the Bucks getting involved.
After losing Gabe Vincent and Max Strus in free agency, the reining Eastern Conference champs definitely have some holes to fill with the new season right around the corner. Miami has always been looked at as one of the better defensively teams in the league and Holiday would fit their culture perfectly. In terms of production, Holiday would be an immediate upgrade in their backcourt, especially with the struggles Kyle Lowry had during the 2022-23 season.
Lowry's expiring contract could be utilized in a potential trade revolving around first-round picks and swaps. Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Caleb Martin, Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez Jr. are all assets Miami could explore the possibility of moving for Holiday.
Philadelphia 76ers
Aside from trade chatter surrounding Lillard dominating this offseason, James Harden's situation with the Philadelphia 76ers has been at the forefront of the NBA news cycle. Harden has made it clear that he does not want to play for the Sixers due to what he is calling Daryl Morey's betrayal on extending the All-Star's contract. At this moment, drama in Philadelphia is ongoing with Harden not expected to attend training camp next week.
The Sixers, who are wanting to prove they are championship contenders with MVP center Joel Embiid, are running out of time to pull off a big move. Not to mention, they haven't done anything to match the deals the Boston Celtics and Bucks made this offseason. Holiday began his career with the Sixers and he is exactly the type of player they need leading their backcourt next to Embiid.
The contracts of Harden and Holiday are basically the same for the upcoming year, which is why a possible multi-team trade could form.
New York Knicks
Head coach Tom Thibodeau has long been a fan of Holiday. The New York Knicks are a top-tier defensive team and have been lurking in the shadows pertaining to preparing for a big move. Going out and trading for Holiday ahead of training camp would surely put the Knicks near the top of the Eastern Conference in many people's minds, especially seeing as they have Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle as well.
Evan Fournier is a veteran who the team has been looking to trade for quite some time and he seems to be getting frustrated with the fact that he is stuck in New York. A Holiday-Brunson backcourt pairing seems to make a lot of sense for the trajectory of this franchise. Whether or not the Knicks would be willing to part with Fournier, draft assets and possible a player like RJ Barrett in a deal for Holiday is unknown.
Los Angeles Clippers
Amid the drama surrounding Harden and the 76ers, the Los Angeles Clippers were named the former league MVP's desired destination. No trade between the two teams ever came close and earlier this offseason, the Clippers did have a deal lined up with the Celtics to acquire Malcolm Brogdon. That trade ultimately fell through due to medical concerns regarding Brogdon's elbow.
It seems like the Clippers are eyeing backcourt help and they have a lot more assets than many people believe. Los Angeles can trade outright picks in 2028 and 2030, as well as a few pick swaps in any potential trade. Norman Powell, Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington and Terance Mann are all players whose contracts can be combined to bring in Holiday's expiring $36.8 million contract.
Adding the veteran to a core of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook presents a better championship path for the Clippers.
Boston Celtics
The Celtics are one of the teams who already seem to be on the path to pursuing the All-Star guard from the Blazers, as The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach reported Wednesday night that the team has interest in Holiday. He would definitely be an upgrade from Marcus Smart, who the team lost in the offseason, and Holiday would help bridge the gaps between Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and this team's secondary unit.
Brogdon still appears to be on the trade block, which could go a long way in helping facilitate a deal for the Celtics. If Boston is to meet Milwaukee in the playoffs, they are going to need a strong defensive option to take on Lillard. There would be no better story than Holiday being the player the Celtics go after to fill this need.
Golden State Warriors
While very unlikely to happen, the Golden State Warriors could get involved in the hunt for Holiday with Chris Paul's expiring contract. This organization's two-part plan of building for the future while also contending for championships has been thrown out the door this offseason and the Warriors' only focus is to win right now. Holiday presents a path to doing so and is exactly the defensive option they have been lacking in their backcourt.
Comparing a one-year rental of Paul to a one-year rental of Holiday, it is clear that the recent Bucks guard is the better choice for Golden State.
San Antonio Spurs
Victor Wembanyama is now the face of the San Antonio Spurs after being selected first overall in this past summer's draft. The Spurs are going to begin growing at a rapid pace and this is a team that could quietly start to rise up the Western Conference standings. Unlike other teams on this list, they are not a championship contender, which may not sit well with Holiday.
On the other side of things, he would be playing for Gregg Popovich in a system where he could really thrive as the lead ball-handler and defensive anchor. The Spurs are young, but they are just one star player away from really emerging as an intriguing threat in the Western Conference. Wemby needs some help and Holiday would be the picture-perfect player to be the leading voice of this youthful roster.
Sacramento Kings
Mike Brown found a lot of success in his first season with the Sacramento Kings due to the team's commitment to change their culture. The only area the Kings need to get better in to fully become a title threat in the West is on defense. This is why they could end up being a dark-horse threat to trade for Holiday.
Malik Monk and Davion Mitchell are intriguing, younger options Sacramento has to offer up that Portland could be interest in. The Kings also own a handful of tradeable first-round picks, giving them a leg up on other contending teams with limited assets.
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks have made winning and building a reliable roster around Luka Doncic their main priority. While they own a roster they like, the Mavs still have Tim Hardaway Jr. and Richaun Holmes as possible players they can flip for more value.
The problem with Dallas is their lack of draft assets. They can only trade one first-round pick outright and would Holiday really fit in alongside Doncic and Kyrie Irving? Nonetheless, the Mavs are going to be a team that looks to add even more talent over the course of the 2023-24 season in order to make it back to the playoffs.
Toronto Raptors
Engaged in trade talks for Lillard before he was dealt to the Bucks, the Toronto Raptors and executive Masai Ujiri have never been afraid to go big game hunting. According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, they are a team to watch in the league's pursuit of Holiday.
With Fred VanVleet gone, the Raptors have a clear need for a new point guard. Holiday would give this team a major boost defensively, plus he would be the secondary threat they are looking for alongside Pascal Siakam. The Blazers are looking for high value in any deals they make right now, which is why the Raptors may have to give up a player like OG Anunoby to start these conversations. This is something Toronto was unwilling to do for Lillard, which is why they likely won't do so for Holiday.
