Cavs just learned a painful Jrue Holiday lesson, and it's only going to get worse

When the Cleveland Cavaliers decided it was time to trade Darius Garland, they considered several options. According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, one scenario was the hope of luring Derrick White from the Boston Celtics. Another was a potential deal for Jrue Holiday. Instead, they opted to acquire James Harden from the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Cavaliers reached the Eastern Conference Finals, and they chose a future Hall of Famer, who's one of the greatest scorers of all time. However, that doesn't tell the whole story. Harden has a reputation for coming up small in the biggest moments in the playoffs. That includes a Game 7 loss on the TD Garden parquet in 2023. While Jayson Tatum was erupting for 51 points, the Philadelphia 76ers' star guard produced just nine points on 11 shots. He also committed a game-high five turnovers.

In passing up a trade for Holiday, Cleveland missed out on a proven winner. He's not just a two-time NBA champion who helped the Celtics lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy. He and Scottie Pippen are the only two players in five decades of USA basketball to win an NBA title and an Olympic gold medal in the same year twice.

"Run It Back" crew rightfully questions Cavs' trade for Harden

While discussing the Cavaliers' decision, one reportedly made due to concerns that their offense wouldn't get the boost it needed if it chose Holiday instead of Harden, the team at "Run It Back" on FanDuel TV was understandably critical of that choice.

"Two-time champ, Jrue Holiday?" Quipped DeMarcus Cousins. "I think Jrue Holiday would have did a better job in those ISOs against Jalen Brunson."

What the four-time All-Star is referring to is Harden's role in Cleveland's Game 1 collapse against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The visitors squandered a 22-point lead in the final frame at Madison Square Garden.

According to Keerthika Uthayakumar, NBA teams were 3-747 when down by 20 or more in the fourth quarter of a playoff game over the last 30 years. Repeatedly, Brunson successfully targeted Harden to walk down the Cavaliers' lead.

As the hosts of "Run It Back" continued to shake their heads at Cleveland going with Harden over Holiday, Lou Williams noted the "offense wasn't that great anyway. So, looking back, they could've used some defense."

"I do think Jrue Holiday makes any team better," stated Chandler Parsons. "And then with him, you can let Donovan Mitchell rock even more offensively. You can feature [Evan] Mobley more offensively."

To Parsons' point, in the playoffs, the former Celtics guard generated 16.4 points, 7.2 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. Beyond having a six-time All-Defensive Team selection guarding Brunson instead of Harden, Holiday's even-keeled demeanor could've been incredibly beneficial to a group that wilted under the pressure of a Knicks comeback in front of a raucous home crowd.

That loss seemed like a signal of what was to come, as New York swept the series. What's even worse for the Cavaliers is that Harden's search for a contract extension is at the root of why the Los Angeles Clippers traded him to Cleveland. Therefore, it would make sense that he wound up with the Cavs because there was an agreement to some extent about his next deal. The former MVP has a $42.3 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign. He turns 37 in August.

Even if it's a short-term pact, committing to a player like this, who reinforces his reputation at every turn, as he approaches 40 and becomes someone the Cavaliers will need to rely on less, could be an anchor that keeps them from returning to the conference finals.

Cleveland could trade Jarrett Allen for someone more impactful in the postseason and might get the leap it needs from Mobley. However, being in a position where the franchise appears forced to double down on Harden is unenviable.

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