Getty LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball against Jrue Holiday.
The Los Angeles Lakers made a blockbuster deal with the New Orleans Pelicans last offseason, landing superstar forward Anthony Davis and changing the landscape of the NBA.
The Pelicans are now reportedly shopping another key piece of their roster in veteran Jrue Holiday and the Lakers could look to upgrade their point guard spot by striking another deal with New Orleans.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Pelicans would be open to shopping Holiday and that several contenders are interested.
The New Orleans Pelicans are openly discussing star Jrue Holiday in trade talks and several contending teams are pursuing, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
The New Orleans Pelicans are openly discussing point guard Jrue Holiday in trade talks and several contending teams are interested, sources tell The Athletic.
Holiday, who has been with the team since 2013, has been a popular name in trade discussions as the Pelicans navigate a rebuild through their younger players. Thought to be one of the better defenders at his position in the league, the one-time All-Star could bolster a contending roster.
Holiday was the 2020 NBA Teammate of the Year, so his locker-room presence is something that may be appealing to other teams. He’s coming off a 2019-20 campaign where he averaged 19.1 points, 6.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game.
Holiday could be more than a one-year rental for interested teams. He has two years remaining on his current contract, with the 2021-22 season being a $26 million player-option he’d be hard-pressed to turn down with some cap uncertainty coming down the line.
Are the Lakers Make a Logical Trade Destination for Jrue Holiday?
GettyNew Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday
There’s no question that the Lakers would welcome Holiday. He’d be the best guard on the roster upon arrival and has experience playing alongside Davis. The question is whether or not the Lakers could muster up a package that would pique the Pelicans interest. Unless the Pelicans are very interested in Alex Caruso or Kyle Kuzma, the answer is likely no.
Anthony Slater of The Athletic believes a deal that’d be centered around Kuzma and Danny Green’s contract would make more sense for a player like Indiana’s Victor Oladipo, rather than Holiday.
Holiday averaged 19.1 points, 6.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals last season. He shot 45.5 percent from the field and a solid 35.3 percent from beyond the arc, which would make him a nice fit in the Lakers system.
The Lakers could have some major holes to fill after free agency, with Rajon Rondo and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope expected to opt-out of their player-options.
Chris Paul Another Rumored Option for Lakers Via Trade
GettyOklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul
Thunder guard Chris Paul has been another name popping up as a rumored Lakers trade target. Paul averaged 17.6 points per game last season to go with 6.7 assists and 5 rebounds. The 35-year-old guard was the key catalyst for the overachieving Thunder, helping lead them to the playoffs.
But again, the Lakers simply don’t have the assets to pry Paul from the Thunder. On top of that, it’d take some major creativity to fit in his massive salary. He’s set to make more than $41 million next year.
Other names that have been mentioned for the Lakers are Derrick Rose and Darren Collison.
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