The Portland Trail Blazers just added Ja Morant without losing a single rotation player they wanted to keep. Kris Murray and Jerami Grant went to Memphis. That’s it. Portland got a multi-time All-Star for spare parts, and everyone knows it.
But that deal also created a genuine mess in the backcourt. Morant slots in next to Damian Lillard, who missed all last season with a torn Achilles but is still a franchise legend. Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 pick, is stuck behind two established stars. Shaedon Sharpe is a 6-foot-5 athlete who can play the three, but he’s still a guard at heart. And then there’s Jrue Holiday, one of the best defensive guards who ever lived.
That’s five guys who need minutes, and four of them are point guards by trade. The natural assumption was that Holiday, at 34 and on an expiring contract, would be the one moved. But new head coach Micah Nori pushed back on that narrative this week.
“I know a lot of people think these are going to be chain reaction trades — and who knows how it is going to go, but Jrue Holiday is a big part of what we’ve got going on,” Nori told The Athletic. “And I just want to let him know that I’m going to continue putting him in positions to be successful, and that he’s earned the right to talk to me about what he is comfortable doing.”
Nori’s logic is straightforward: small lineups create matchup problems. If you run Morant, Lillard, Holiday, and Sharpe together, the defense has to chase shooters and handle ball pressure from three guys who can create. Holiday’s defense also covers for the size Portland will be giving up. The team isn’t saying no to a trade that makes them better, but Nori sounds like someone who believes he can make this weird roster work.
The risk is obvious. Lillard is coming off a major injury. Morant has missed 73 games over the last two seasons due to suspension and shoulder surgery. Henderson hasn’t proven he can run a bench unit yet. Counting on all five to stay healthy and happy is a bet most front offices wouldn’t take.
But Portland also has nothing to lose. They’re not contending this year. If the small-ball experiment fails, they can flip Holiday at the deadline for assets. If it works, they might actually be fun to watch. Either way, Nori is making it clear: Holiday isn’t the odd man out unless he asks to be.
Leave a Comment