The Los Angeles Lakers are fresh off of their third outside move of the NBA offseason. On Saturday, they agreed to terms on a two-year, $11 million contract with free agent guard Marcus Smart following his buyout from the Washington Wizards.
That move followed the two additions of Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia.
All three moves should help improve the Lakers from what they had last season. However, there are still questions about the team’s ability to compete for a championship during the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season.
With that in mind, Los Angeles has now been linked as a possible trade suitor for a two-time All-Star guard.
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According to NBA reporter Grant Afseth of Fastbreak Journal, the Lakers are viewed as a potential trade suitor for Portland Trail Blazers veteran guard Jrue Holiday if they decide to shop him in trade discussions.
“Multiple sources recently told FastbreakJournal.com that Holiday is a name to monitor, particularly as a potential target for the Los Angeles Lakers,” Afseth wrote.
“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 Dončić. Other teams are monitoring the situation, though the Lakers are widely viewed as one of the most natural fits if Portland explores a deal.”
Holiday would be an incredibly interesting fit for Los Angeles. He would be able to slide into the starting lineup as the Lakers’ shooting guard if he were acquired.
Afseth also shared more details about the trade with the Boston Celtics that sent Holiday to the Trail Blazers.
“Another factor is health. Sources say Holiday’s trade to Portland was delayed before becoming official due to a red flag in his physical,” he wrote. “The original deal reportedly included two second-round picks being sent to Boston, but the Celtics ultimately received no draft compensation. Knee-related concerns are common knowledge among rival teams when evaluating Holiday’s availability.”
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During the 2024-25 NBA season with the Celtics, Holiday played in 62 games. He averaged 11.1 points per game to go along with 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals, while shooting 44.3 percent from the floor and 35.3 percent from the three-point line.
While this isn’t a report that Los Angeles is in discussions with Portland about a potential trade, Holiday is worth keeping an eye on as a potential Lakers’ target down the road.
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