Before the start of the campaign, the Milwaukee Bucks made a bold move by trading away Jrue Holiday to acquire Damian Lillard. Much to the franchise’s dismay, their high-risk endeavor didn’t yield the reward they were hoping for. Over time, it has even led to several NBA followers slamming their decision, with George Karl recently joining this list.
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The Hall of Fame Head Coach refused to sugarcoat his words while expressing his thoughts on the move. He openly called Dame a downgrade in comparison to Holiday, garnering the attention of the NBA community. Outlining his beliefs on X (formerly Twitter), the 73-year-old wrote,
“People said I was crazy when I said swapping Damian [Lillard] for Jrue [Holiday] was a downgrade”.
People said I was crazy when I said swapping Damian for Jrue was a downgrade.
— George Karl (@CoachKarl22) June 13, 2024
His reaction became public after Holiday’s Boston Celtics edged closer to the title. With a massive contribution from the 34-year-old, the franchise now remains only one win away from securing its 18th championship.
On the other side of the table, the Bucks once again registered a below-par season. Despite possessing a stacked roster, they recorded an unconvincing end to the regular season. Predictably, their postseason stint was also shortlived as a 4-2 defeat against the Indiana Pacers in the first round ended their run.
This is why, Karl’s comments seem completely justified on the surface. However, to get the full picture, it’s important to dig a bit deeper into both players’ situations.
A closer look at Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday’s seasons
Since landing in Wisconsin, Lillard struggled to find consistency. From changes in the coaching staff to his problems in adjusting to a new city, things initially spiraled right down for the 33-year-old. Consequently, he started making the headlines for unprecedented reasons, further piling on the pressure on his shoulders.
Luckily, Holiday found his transition to the Celtics to be much smoother. Thanks to the more consistent culture and staff of the franchise, the 2021 champion fit right into the system from day one.
However, at an individual level, Lillard still surpassed the Celtics star. Despite his injury struggles, the 8x All-Star averaged 24.3 points, and 7 assists per game during the regular season. Without the presence of the Bucks’ talisman, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dame also recorded 31.3 points, and 5 assists per game in the 2024 playoffs to keep the Bucks’ hopes alive.
Conversely, Holdiay’s contributions to the Celtics were limited due to their team structure. After recording 12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game in the regular season, the 2x All-Star registered 13.2 points, 6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game in the playoffs.
In summary, the Celtics have brilliantly complemented Holiday’s style of play, while the Bucks struggled to find the right balance with Damian Lillard. Further, the former Blazer was asked to pick up a much bigger load for the team, leaving far more room for error.
And so, while it is easy to say that Jrue Holiday has been much better than Damian Lillard, the truth is far less black and white on this topic.
The Boston Celtics guard has most certainly been incredible. However, given the time to adjust properly, Lillard could still stand to elevate the Milwaukee Bucks far past any level Holiday ever managed.
