The Los Angeles Lakers have become a far more relevant team in the offseason. After being very quiet in the early days of free agency, the Purple and Gold got the ball rolling with some impressive additions to bolster their roster strength.
Among their latest moves, the Lakers acquired former DPOY Marcus Smart. Once Smart clears waivers after being bought out by the Washington Wizards, he is expected to sign with the Lakers on a two-year, $11 million deal.
The addition of Smart significantly strengthens the Lakers’ backcourt rotation. But considering their aspirations of becoming title contenders, the Lakers still have more work to do.
To address this, FastbreakJournal.com’s Grant Afseth presented Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday as a potential target for the Purple and Gold. He wrote:
“Multiple sources recently told FastbreakJournal.com that Holiday is a name to monitor, particularly as a potential target for the Los Angeles Lakers.”
“That’s not to say active conversations are taking place, but his name continues to surface in NBA circles as the team evaluates options to add more talent around LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Other teams are monitoring the situation, though the Lakers are widely viewed as one of the most natural fits if Portland explores a deal.
This presents an interesting outlook for the Lakers. The notion of pairing a former DPOY in Smart with one of the best defenders in the league could be promising for the Purple and Gold.
With this possibility in mind, we explore a trade proposal that would facilitate such a deal to go through.
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Jrue Holiday
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Dalton Knecht
Given that this trade package is primarily formulated to help the Lakers get better, it has significant benefits for them. But as constructed, this could have upside for the Trail Blazers too.
The Lakers Acquire A Defensive Stopper
For the Lakers, this trade is of mutual interest for the team as well as Holiday himself.
After being traded from the Boston Celtics, reports were suggesting that Holiday was annoyed because he was traded to Portland. This immediately sparked rumors, marking a potential exit from the team before even debuting with them.
Should the Lakers successfully trade for Holiday, they would not only be acquiring a defensive stopper, but they’d also be adding a two-time champion to their roster.
In the last five years, Holiday has been a part of two title-winning squads. His recent experiences of winning it all could be crucial in driving success for the Purple and Gold this upcoming season.
The 35-year-old also brings tons of experience and productivity with him. With averages of 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game on shooting splits of 44.3% from the field and 35.3% from three-point range, Holiday is the ideal complementary player for a star-driven team.
On a team headlined by stars like Luka Doncic and LeBron James, the veteran would carve out a place for himself by fulfilling critical team needs, something that could prove pivotal to the Lakers’ success.
The Trail Blazers Reinforce Their Roster Depth
This deal also has merit for the Trail Blazers, who are poised to be a significantly more intriguing team than they were last season.
With the signing of Damian Lillard in free agency, Portland is expected to be significantly more competitive, although this would only be for the 2026-27 season after he returns from injury.
Regardless, this deal sees the Blazers acquiring two capable veterans on expiring contracts along with a talented young player.
With Rui Hachimura, Portland adds depth to their frontcourt rotation. Last season, Hachimura was a vital part of the Lakers’ frontcourt. His defensive effort and perimeter shooting were a huge factor in keeping the team afloat in unfavorable situations. His averages of 13.1 points and 5.0 rebounds on 41.3% shooting from the perimeter were a welcome sight on most nights.
The acquisition of Gabe Vincent could also be huge for Portland. While having him on an expiring contract gives the team a lot of cap flexibility next offseason, Vincent has displayed the ability to be a contributor on the defensive end as well.
As a capable on-ball defender, Vincent’s high work rate and effort helped him disrupt several plays. He shot 35.3% from three-point range last season, which was a part of his contribution to the offense, having averaged 6.4 points per game.
As beneficial as veteran leadership is to a young team, there exists a necessity for young talent that will grow with the team as well. In this regard, Dalton Knecht‘s arrival could be significant for the Blazers’ bench rotation.
In his rookie season, Knecht displayed a lot of potential as a sharpshooter and scorer, averaging 9.1 points on shooting splits of 46.1% from the field and 37.6% from beyond the arc. Having showcased his ability to get hot in a hurry, Knecht could prove to be a key scoring boost for this young team when given meaningful playing time.
Should The Lakers Pursue Holiday?
There are virtually no downsides to pursuing Jrue Holiday for the Lakers. While they will be looking to part ways with expiring contracts, and Dalton Knecht frequently being mentioned in trade chatter, the Purple and Gold will simply be doing what they planned to do.
The addition of Holiday gives the Lakers a lot of depth, particularly in their defensive rotations. His reliable presence on both ends of the floor could also be essential in developing on-court chemistry.
But considering that the 2x All-Star has three years left on his contract, the Purple and Gold may hesitate to pursue the deal. Given their inclination to keep cap space clear for the 2026 offseason, acquiring Holiday would essentially go against these plans.
