Reasons the New Orleans Pelicans would trade for LaMelo Ball.
Why would the Pelicans do it?
The New Orleans Pelicans’ need to balance their roster with more size, and trading Holiday might be the only way to do it.
The Pelicans would be adding three forwards, which would go a long way towards getting their roster sorted.
None of them are great talents, but James Johnson is a steady defender who blocks a shot a game, which would lead the Pelicans.
Omari Spellman is a 23-year-old power forward with some serious girth, who could compete with Nicolo Melli for minutes and has a completely different skill set.
Jake Layman would add some depth behind Brandon Ingram and has improved every year he’s been in the league.
Most importantly though, is the money. Johnson is a $15 million expiring contract and Spellman and Layman make about $5 million between them and would be cheap contributors off the bench.
The Pelicans would be clear of Holiday’s contract, which still has two more years at $27 million per, which would free up cap space for the 2021 loaded free agent class.
I already mentioned uniting the Ball Brothers and making New Orleans the center of the NBA, but this move would also allow the Pelicans to keep Josh Hart and put him at shooting guard where he belongs.
Hart was one of the few Pelicans who showed up in the bubble, and proved that he is a keeper. He’ll still be much cheaper than Holiday, so the Pels could potentially extend Hart and still add another impact free agent.
Hart is younger and I’d rather have him moving forward than Holiday, who is the better player now, but is 30-years-old and making a fortune.
There will be plenty of interest in both Holiday and Minnesota’s number one pick, and the Pelicans may be able to find a better trade, but I think the market for a 30+ year-old point guard who makes as much as Holiday is not as robust as people think.
This is a way for the Pels to balance their roster, set up the finances for the future and be one of the most talked about teams in the NBA.