The New Orleans Pelicans are now Jrue Holiday’s team to lead. David Griffin believes Holiday is capable of an NBA Most Valuable Player worthy season.
David Griffin was hired to think long term in the wake of the Anthony Davis trade demand. The New Orleans Pelicans are set for much of the next decade with Zion Williamson and a haul of draft picks. However, Griffin believes he has built the team into a playoff contender within his first few months in office.
Griffin acted aggressively in the short term free-agent market, signing JJ Redick and Nicolo Melli. He traded for Derrick Favors, another potential All-Star big man. Davis has been more than replaced, everyone is more than fine with the outcome, and the reason is simple.
Jrue Holiday was the Pelicans real star to build around all along.
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Holiday, not Davis, will be the New Orleans Pelicans first NBA Most Valuable Player award winner. David Griffin believes it and has the history to support the argument.
Griffin started the Holiday-for-MVP campaign this week while working the NBA Summer League media circuit. Holiday was voted the most underrated talent in the league by his NBA peers, and the best defender. Griffin reminded the talk show hosts how overlooked Steve Nash was before he won two MVP awards.
Nash posted 15.5 points, 11.5 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1 steal to win the 2004-05 MVP award. HIs 2005-06 stats were 18.8 points, 10.5 assists, 4.2 boards and just under a steal (0.8) per game. He shot over 43% from deep, flirting with 50-40-90 seasons and achieving the feat to win the second award.
Holiday averaged 21 points last season and hovers around 8 assists per game. This season he has Griffin’s “permission to dominate” as the lead star. A slight uptick in the glamour counting stats would get Holiday on the national MVP radar.
Really, just a couple of extra buckets that lead to team wins would be sufficient. Holiday’s defense will be enhanced this season, with a more defensively stout supporting cast. His efficiency on both ends would win over the analytic constituency.
Holiday has always been the people’s champ in New Orleans. Griffin has created an MVP level situation for Holiday to shine this season. Should this Holiday-led version of the New Orleans Pelicans live up to Griffin’s playoff expectations, the rest of the NBA world will take notice.
Everyone notices the guy with the NBA MVP trophy.