Trail Blazers' skid could make them sellers at trade deadline

The Portland Trail Blazers traded for Jrue Holiday before the season in a bid to return to the playoffs. After an embarrassing 115-111 loss to the Washington Wizards Tuesday, the Blazers may be considering becoming sellers at the trade deadline.

Behind Alex Sarr's six blocks, the Wizards broke a nine-game losing streak with the victory. Despite outrebounding the Wizards, 69-46, the Blazers turned the ball over 20 times and had 12 shots blocked to notch their third straight loss.

Portland Trail Blazers could trade Jrue Holiday

Holiday is a great veteran presence for the Blazers, who have seven rotation players 25 and younger, as well as 21-year-old guard Scoot Henderson, out for the season with a hamstring injury. He's been great when he's healthy, averaging 14.8 points, 6.8 assists and 4.7 rebounds, but injuries have limited him to 20 games.

With the Blazers at 23-25 and Holiday at age 35, it doesn't look like he'll be part of the next good Trail Blazers team. Even though he's owed $34.8M for next season and has a $37.2M player option in 2027-28, Holiday has proved he can be a difference-maker on title teams like the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks and 2024 Boston Celtics.

The New York Knicks are reportedly interested in pairing Holiday with Jalen Brunson, but they aren't the only team who could use the All-Defensive guard, who can play in either backcourt position. Plus, the Blazers owe their first-round pick to the Chicago Bulls in this year's draft — they have some incentive to miss the playoffs.

Portland has young talent, but it's uncertain

Henderson was the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, but after two rough seasons, he's missed all of 2025-26. The Blazers have Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara and potential All-Star Deni Avdija locked up on long-term deals, but rookie center Yang Hansen is a project at center.

In the aforementioned trio, plus second-year center Donovan Clingan (20 rebounds Tuesday), the Blazers have a solid core. Next year, they'll get Damian Lillard back from his Achilles tear. They badly need one more talented guard or wing, especially for a team that's leading the NBA in turnovers.

Holiday's salary, plus one of their future Bucks picks from the 2023 Lillard trade, could bring back a star, or extra draft capital for a summer move. The Blazers may still think they can compete for the playoffs, but losing to the 11-34 Wizards suggests they're a long way from contending.

Holiday got traded to help a playoff run. He may need to get traded again to fulfill that plan.