Parity in the NBA is arguably my favorite topic to write about, because the league feels as open as it’s been in years. Almost every team has a legitimate shot to compete and overachieve—or collapse under the weight of expectations. The margin for error is razor thin. A four-to-six-game skid can drop you from home-court advantage in the playoffs to scrambling for the 10th seed in the play-in.
That’s where veterans matter. Young, talented rosters often need a battle-tested voice in the room—a player
who’s been through the highs and lows of playoff basketball. Enter Jrue Holiday.
Jrue Holiday first reached the pinnacle of the NBA in 2021, winning a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks as a co-star. Three years later, he captured his second ring with the Boston Celtics in 2024—this time in a more limited role, but one that remained irreplaceable to the team’s success.
His exact role on the court is still unclear, as is his long-term future with the team. But a two-time NBA champion and perennial All-Defensive guard is hardly common in today’s game. Holiday brings leadership, accountability, and a steady presence that could be just as important off the court as it is on it. For a young team like Portland, that balance might be the missing piece this season.
Consider last year: the Blazers dropped five straight from Games 63–67 and four more in a row from Games 72–75. In a playoff race that was tight, those stretches were backbreakers. Portland finished just three games behind Dallas for the final play-in spot.
Look inside the locker room and the youth is obvious. Shaedon Sharpe had never been in a playoff chase. Deni Avdija had yet to play for a winning team. Scoot Henderson and Toumani Camara were still in just their second seasons. In hindsight, it was unfair to expect more from a group that already outperformed expectations.
Holiday isn’t a knight in shining armor who will single-handedly win games. But he can help navigate the inevitable storms. Turning a five-game losing streak into two or three losses might sound small, but in the NBA standings it’s everything. Damian Lillard will mentor from the sidelines, but there’s only so much he can do without being on the floor.
The Blazers’ 36 wins last year may have been their ceiling, maybe even an overachievement. The talent on this year’s roster suggests that the ceiling is higher. But as any veteran will tell you, knowing how to win is just as important as having the talent to do so. That’s where Holiday’s presence could prove invaluable—and why his addition might quietly be one of Portland’s most important moves.
