The Portland Trail Blazers traded for Jrue Holiday this summer, taking on the $104 million remaining in his contract as a result. They'll soon learn what the Boston Celtics already knew: Holiday is rapidly declining at 35 years old.
Last season in Boston, Holiday averaged 11.1 points and 3.9 assists, both of which were the lowest since his 2009-10 rookie season with the Philadelphia 76ers. He is still impactful as a two-way guard, but Holiday is no longer the top-tier perimeter defender he once was.
Jrue Holiday's decline makes Portland's trade more puzzling
Credit to Brad Stevens and the Celtics as they managed to buy low and sell high on Holiday, acquiring him as the missing piece to help them win a championship, and then finding a way to offload him for an expiring Anfernee Simons to duck the second apron when his production declined.