NBA Trade Rumors: New Orleans Pelicans Looking To Move Jrue Holiday

The New Orleans Pelicans need to decide the direction of their team. Either they start immediately contending with their young core or they step back and allow the core to develop before competing. Considering how the future is always very uncertain in the NBA, taking the time to effectively rebuild is hard.

Considering the Pelicans lost their biggest star in Anthony Davis but were gifted with Zion Williamson, NOLA have maneuvered well. They got the entire Lakers’ young core for AD, and they look to build upon their promise. However, there is a player on the team that doesn’t fit this timeline.

Jrue Holiday is entering his 30s and is wasted on any rebuilding young team. So naturally, the New Orleans Pelicans are inquiring about trades for Holiday according to Shams Charania.

Holiday is a defensive specialist and was Anthony Davis’s running-mate during AD’s time here. However, considering the entirely new group of young players coming through the ranks, Holiday doesn’t fit in anymore.

New Orleans Pelicans get even younger

Quite a lot of teams can offer the Pels a great package for Holiday. Holiday is a middle-of-the-pack player in this league, but too good of a defender to be overlooked. Many players have openly said that Jrue Holiday is the best one-on-one defender in the league. A lot of championship teams will try to swing a trade for him.

The best fit for him looks to be with the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets have some great young players that they can offer up for Holiday. They will better fit what the Pels are doing, while Holiday can form a backcourt with Kyrie Irving. Considering the Nets already have two offensive juggernauts with Kyrie and Kevin Durant, their third star should be a defensive specialist.

Holiday will allow KD and Kyrie to dominate on the scoring end while ensuring teams don’t pick the Nets apart on the other end. Outside of them, few teams have the right assets for Jrue. The Milwaukee Bucks are another possible destination, with the team looking to give Giannis Antetokounmpo more reason to stay. Adding Holiday to that team will instantly boost their title hopes. The Miami Heat will also look to acquire Holiday to build on this year’s success.