The Milwaukee Bucks gave a whole lot to land Damian Lillard. Their biggest loss comes in the form of five-time All-Defense guard Jrue Holiday, who after being shipped off to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of the blockbuster Dame deal, has now found himself with the Boston Celtics.
At this point, there’s no denying that Bucks fans are still feeling the aftershock of Holiday’s sudden exit.
Ex-Milwaukee Bucks Star Jrue Holiday Deemed Top Defender in NBA
Well, Milwaukee supporters will miss Holiday even more once they learn about the results of the recent NBA GM survey. The two-time All-Star was voted into multiple categories by league executives including the most impactful summer acquisition (second behind Dame) as well as the most surprising move in the offseason.
What does not come as a surprise at all is how Holiday ranked so highly in the defensive categories of the recent survey.
It was Giannis Antetokounmpo who was dubbed the top defensive player in the entire NBA with 40% of the votes. Coming in at a distant second, however, is Holiday, who 13% of general managers around the league believe is the most effective defensive player in the NBA today.
Moreover, when it comes to being the top perimeter defender in the NBA, it’s Holiday who reigns supreme with 50% of the votes. Mikal Bridges of the Brooklyn Nets is a distant second with a 13% approval rate.
Bucks fans can only imagine what kind of team they would have this coming season if only Holiday was still on the roster. Well, they actually don’t have to imagine as they’ve witnessed it over the past three years. The harsh reality, however, is that they’ve failed to reach their lofty objectives this past couple of seasons, thereby forcing the front office to move on from Jrue.
While there’s no denying that Milwaukee’s defense has taken a significant blow with Holiday’s departure, their improvements on the offensive end are equally commensurate, if not even more so. This is the Damian Lillard effect for the Bucks, and they will definitely be hoping that their massive risk pays off with a championship at the end of this coming season.
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