From the moment the Portland Trail Blazers traded for Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, speculation arose over what they were planning to do next with the roster. The motive was less greed than the stark realization that Portland now held four starting-level point guards: Morant, Damian Lillard, Scoot Henderson, and Jrue Holiday.
Due to his combination of salary, experience, and “craveability” across the league, Holiday was widely assumed to be the odd man out in this equation, the next domino to fall.
According to NBA writer Marc Stein [subscription required] that is not necessarily so. Stein indicates that the Blazers received several calls inquiring about Holiday in the trade aftermath but indicated to other teams that Holiday is not on the board at this time.
Stein writes:
The Trail Blazers had signaled loud and clear for weeks that, under new owner Tom Dundon, they were looking to trade Jerami Grant’s roughly $35 million salary in a package that would net another All-Star talent next to add to Deni Avdija and the returning Damian Lillard.
They pursued Giannis Antetokounmpo. They’ve coveted [Jaylen] Brown for some time as well. They were expected to chase [Anthony] Davis, too, if extension talks with the Wizards went astray. Yet that’s all off the table now after Portland seized on the opportunity to pilfer Morant from Memphis at such a minimal cost.
Important post-blockbuster development: The Stein Line has learned that the Blazers were immediately messaging to interested parties after the Morant acquisition that they intend to hang onto Jrue Holiday.
Time will tell how firm a position is, but that’s where the Blazers insist they sit now.
Reports can be more or less accurate, of course. It’s hard to imagine Portland holding the line with its quartet of guards even if they believe Holiday and/or Henderson can play off-ball. We’ll see what happens.
