Why The Portland Trail Blazers Should Do It
In this hypothetical, the Portland Trail Blazers would acquire a player in Jrue Holiday who is incredibly well-liked in the league and just as valuable off the court as he is on it.
Portland would also acquire a first-round pick next year. Whether you view this from the perspective of the Pelicans or the Blazers, this could either be considered fair value or an overpay.
But if Portland makes CJ McCollum available, he should draw plenty of interest still. So, theoretically, Portland is able to grab a future first-round pick in addition to Holiday.
Holiday can come in and play alongside Lillard, in a similar fashion to McCollum. But for Portland, make no mistake: This would be a retool of the roster.
McCollum has been in Portland since 2013, and for the entirety of his tenure, he’s played alongside Lillard. Breaking up the duo wouldn’t be easy, but if the Blazers eventually determine it’s necessary, perhaps Portland gives Lillard another veteran guard as his running mate.
