Portland Trail Blazers May Trade Jrue Holiday to Secure Long-Term Deal for Deni Avdija

The Portland Trail Blazers are preparing for the 2026/27 NBA season with hopes of advancing past the first playoff round for the first time since 2018/19. After appointing Mike Norrie as head coach and acquiring Ja Morant in a major trade, the team faces a critical challenge in securing a long-term contract extension for Israeli player Deni Avdija. Avdija, coming off a career-best season, is considered one of Portland's most valuable assets and currently holds a favorable contract paying him $25 million over the next two years.

Blazers reporter Reese Kuntz suggests that trading veteran guard Jrue Holiday might be necessary to clear salary cap space and facilitate Avdija's contract negotiations. Despite the recent trade that brought Morant in exchange for Jerami Grant, Portland has not resolved Avdija's future salary concerns. The team has a surplus of quality guards, which raises questions about Holiday's role and potential availability for trade.

Although Portland has not actively shopped Holiday, Kuntz notes that this does not rule out a trade. The acquisition of Morant provides the Blazers with greater flexibility to keep their options open regarding Holiday and other backcourt players like Scott Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. The team could start the season with its full guard roster and wait until the February trade deadline to make a final decision.

Ultimately, Portland must balance its immediate competitive ambitions with securing Avdija's long-term future. Holiday's contract could be the key to enabling a trade that supports this goal. The Blazers will closely monitor developments as they continue building their roster around Avdija heading into the new season.