On the surface, trading one guard for another in the Anfernee Simons-Jrue Holiday swap defeats one key purpose of trading away Simons in the first place. The Portland Trail Blazers needed to figure out their backcourt hierarchy and clear the path for former top ten picks Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe.
It may not seem like it at first, but the Blazers accomplished exactly that when they acquired Holiday. His presence as a 3-and-D guard in the backcourt could result in breakout seasons in 2025-26, particularly for Henderson.
Jrue Holiday clears the path for Scoot Henderson's breakout
At this stage in his career, Holiday isn't as much of a playmaker as Simons.