Jrue Holiday could lead the New Orleans Pelicans to the playoffs. (Photo by Keith Allison/Flickr.com)
At last week’s NBA draft, the New Orleans Pelicans made out of the most talked-about moves of the night when they acquired Jrue Holiday from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Nerlens Noel, who the Pelicans selected with the No. 6 pick. Holiday is an extremely talented player and he is coming off his best season as a pro. His arrival is a big boost for the Pelicans roster and brings up the question of whether or not this team can contend for a playoff spot.
The Pelicans had a lot of talent even before Holiday’s arrival, perhaps more than one would guess from the 27-win season they put together last season. Anthony Davis is a star in the making and with a full season under his belt, he should take a huge leap forward next year. Ryan Anderson is one of the best stretch 4s in the league and by bringing him off the bench, the Pelicans give themselves one of the better second units in the league. Finally, there’s Greivis Vasquez, who was the starting point guard before the Holiday trade. He thrived last season, averaging nine assists per game. When looking at the assortment of skilled players here, it’s hardly a stretch to think the Pelicans could break into the playoffs in the 2013-14, especially with a skilled player like Holiday running the show.
It will be interesting to see what moves the team makes in the aftermath of the Holiday trade. First off, will they keep Vasquez? If they do, bringing him off the bench adds more depth to the second unit and gives them two excellent passers. Holiday and Vasquez could operate in a manner similar to how Ty Lawson and Andre Miller have collaborated with the Denver Nuggets for the past two seasons. Holiday’s skills as a scorer indicate that he could he be effective playing the 2-guard spot when Vasquez is on the court. To be sure, this could be one of the more dynamic pairings in the NBA. But that might depend on how thrilled Vasquez is by the situation. After the strong season he had in 2012-13, Vasquez may the see the Holiday trade as an insult and be reluctant to embrace a role coming off the bench.
Additionally, the Pelicans may decide to trade Vasquez to a team more in need of a starting point guard and perhaps bolster their talent level another position, like small forward, which is by the far the biggest hole on an otherwise solid roster. It’s unknown how Holiday and Vasquez will play together or if they will even play together at all, but considering the talent level of both players, it’s certainly fun to speculate about. If Vasquez is kept around and embraces a role as the team’s sixth man, this could be the start of something great.
There’s also the question of how Eric Gordon will be involved in the upcoming season. Gordon has been a disappointment since arriving in New Orleans in the Chris Paul trade. Much of that is due to his inability to stay healthy, but even when he was in the lineup, Gordon struggled, shooting just .402 from the field this past season. Gordon has a ton of talent, as he illustrated in his first three seasons in the league. If he lives up to the hype, he and Holiday could become one of the most entertaining backcourts in basketball, putting up points left and right and thrilling the fans. If he continues to throw up bricks and can’t stay healthy, the Pelicans may find themselves looking to part ways with him.
There are certainly some questions surrounding the Pelicans right now, but this is an extremely intriguing team with a fairly high ceiling going into next season. Holiday is a great scorer and a great passer and he will immediately add potency to the offense. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis is already one of the better power forwards in the league and he could very well blossom into an All-Star this season. There’s a ton of talent here, and with Holiday running the show, this team has a strong chance of breaking into the postseason.