Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Why the LA Clippers Should Trade for Pelicans Star Jrue Holiday
After underperforming in the postseason, the LA Clippers will be eager to upgrade its roster this offseason — especially after watching the Los Angeles Lakers win the title. If a drastic change is what the franchise is after, it may be in luck.
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the New Orleans Pelicans have begun including Jrue Holiday in trade talks. Several contenders are reportedly interested, and the Clippers are likely among them.
So what exactly would LA be getting in Holiday? And more importantly, what would it take to acquire him?
Holiday is perhaps the best on-ball defender in the league among point guards, earning All-Defensive selections in two of the last three seasons. He's got a well-rounded offensive game as well, as he's posted averages of 19.7 points and 6.8 assists per game since the 2017-2018 season.
To put it simply, we're talking about one of the best two-way point guards in the NBA. And at 30 years of age, he's still squarely in the prime of his career.
It's also worth talking about how well he'd fit in on this Clippers team alongside Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. Given his ability on both ends of the floor, Holiday would allow both George and Leonard to relinquish a good bit of the load they carried last season.
On offense, Leonard would spend less time looking to make the right pass and more time scoring, as Holiday would take over duties as the team's primary playmaker. And because Holiday demands attention on that end as well, George would have more space to work with as a shooter — particularly from beyond the arc.
On defense, Holiday is an upgrade over Patrick Beverley both in terms of size and ability. Beverley is still one of the best at his position, but Holiday excels in the margins — particularly when it comes to foul frequency, where Holiday ranks in the 76th percentile and Beverley in the 10th, per Cleaning the Glass.
The biggest question mark with Holiday is how the Clippers can get him.
A package of Beverley, Lou Williams and Landry Shamet is valid, but it's hard to say if that gets the deal done or really moves the needle in the right direction for LA. Shamet could also be swapped out for Mfiondu Kabengele, if New Orleans would rather return a big.
LA could also include other assets if it finds a way to move Montrezl Harrell via sign-and-trade, but again, the likelihood of something like that happening feels slim at the moment.
Several other contenders will be in the mix for Holiday, which may well drive up the Pelicans' asking price. The Clippers could always offer George if it gets desperate, but there's been no indication that the franchise is open to moving Leonard's co-star.
Ultimately, LA's lack of trade assets won't help in its pursuit of Holiday, and it's why the Clippers probably shouldn't be considered a frontrunner in the race. However, we've seen this front office pull off some incredible feats, so it's far too early to rule LA out completely.
