The New Orleans Pelicans have a golden trade chip in Jrue Holiday. How they wield it could determine their fate along with whichever team they trade with.
The New Orleans Pelicans gave every indication they’d be keeping Jrue Holiday in house for the foreseeable future. Though able to enter the free agency pool in 2021, New Orleans likely wanted to get a taste of Holiday alongside its young roster at full strength for a prolonged stretch under new head coach Stan Van Gundy.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Pelicans are now singing a different tune, openly discussing in trade talks with contending teams for Holiday’s services.
Holiday is coming off another stellar two-way season as one of just four players to exceed averages of 19 points, six assists, four rebounds and 1.5 steals a night.
The New Orleans Pelicans are openly discussing star Jrue Holiday in trade talks and several contending teams are pursuing, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 4, 2020
He recently turned 30 and will probably need to agree to an extension with any team looking to give up a sizeable haul to acquire his services. Should any team pull the trigger, it would give them an incredible addition, boosting playoff hopefuls into the mix and championship hopefuls significantly closer to the legitimacy they covet.
Picking just three teams for this exercise is extremely difficult because Holiday could fit within each of the league’s 30 times at a high level. The challenge for all lies in offering a package New Orleans is willing to entertain, one that further brightens the Pelicans’ optimistic future to acquire the game-changing force that’s just hit the market.
New Orleans Pelicans trade partner No. 3: Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets have had almost every reason to trade for Jrue Holiday over the last several years, which is why no potential trade partner has been linked to the player more in that time.
It’s a roster filled with enticing young talent, many of whom have had trouble earning consistent playing time alongside other worthy players. With the exception of the upcoming draft, Denver has all of its first-round picks for the foreseeable future.
They’ve always been good but not good enough, which maybe convinced the front office to hold off on any blockbuster until the development of their core players put them at the appropriate stage of their timeline.
After their first conference finals appearance in over a decade thanks to Jamal Murray’s ascension alongside Nikola Jokic, that time is now, even in the wild west.
To get a deal done will require parting ways with two rotation pieces, one of who is a sweet-shooting combo forward only 22 years of age. Missing out on the potential ceiling of Michael Porter Jr. would hurt. Holiday’s immediate fit alongside Denver’s duo should help ease that pain.
Gary Harris’ 3-point shot has fallen since hovering around 40 percent several years ago. His return to the lineup in the playoffs was apparent on the defensive end, where the Nuggets’ rating was 10.5 points better in his presence. That should help replace the defensive impact lost by Holiday’s departure on a Pelicans team that ranked 21st in defensive rating last season.
New Orleans doesn’t lack forwards but it shouldn’t be picky when acquiring a talent like Porter. The defensive issues would be alarming, but the frontcourt minutes featuring Porter, Ingram and Zion are sure to spark fireworks at the offensive end.
Bol Bol isn’t needed from a financial aspect. His inclusion is more of a take-it-or-leave-it proposition to force what should be a semi-desperate Nuggets hand looking to build off their surprising run, gifting New Orleans a mythical center who could be the long-term solution to that position down the line.