Pelica Debrief
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New Orleans Pelicans: 4 Draft Night Trades For Jrue Holiday

By Nick Alvarez

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - DECEMBER 28: Jrue Holiday #11 of the New Orleans Pelicans could be on the move come draft night. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - DECEMBER 28: Jrue Holiday #11 of the New Orleans Pelicans could be on the move come draft night. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /
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New Orleans Pelicans
(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

The New Orleans Pelicans Swap Picks and Shooting Guards with Portland

The first trade that makes sense for a draft-night deal is a relatively simple one. This is a deal that might make sense for both the New Orleans Pelicans and their old bubble foe in the Portland Trail Blazers to reset for contention. Here’s the trade:

In this move, there’d be a rare one-for-one swap of both teams’ starting shooting guard as well as a potential swap of first-round picks in this year’s draft that are only three-picks apart.

Why The Pelicans Make This Deal

The Pelicans do this deal because unlike trading for younger talent that is still unknown they trade for a known shooting guard at the same level as Jrue Holiday who fits the team’s offense better.

With CJ McCollum arriving in New Orleans, the Pelicans would add a shooting-guard who holds a career 40% average from beyond the arc. Adding McCollum would be one of the biggest solutions to the team’s lack of genuine spacing in their starting line-up.

A secondary element to adding CJ McCollum is that the New Orleans Pelicans would still be adding a player who can serve as a playmaker for the New Orleans Pelicans offense when needed. One of the best notes on Jrue Holiday’s season this year was that he was fantastic when he needed to handle playmaking duties.

McCollum can do that as well but is a much better off-ball player which ultimately makes the deal for the New Orleans side.

As far as draft picks go, David Griffin may be satisfied in moving down three-spots considering how weak the 2020 NBA Draft is and then just take the best player available.

Why The Trail Blazers Make This Deal

This deal makes a lot of sense for the Portland Trail Blazers because after this season it might be time to put some fresh faces around their franchise star Damian Lillard. Adding Jrue Holiday would be a different type of partner in the backcourt for Lillard who could make the Trail Blazers a deadlier team.

Jrue Holiday is one of the best defensive guards in the league who will be a boost to Portland’s perimeter defense compared to McCollum who was average at best. Holiday would then make an interesting 1-2 punch with Lillard on offense since his game is much different than Lillard’s when compared to McCollum.

Just like the New Orleans Pelicans, the Blazers would still be able to maintain having a secondary playmaker on their roster, and Jrue Holiday could excel even more under Terry Stotts’ pick-and-roll heavy offense.

Lastly, the opportunity to move into the NBA lottery could be what ultimately swings this deal for the Trail Blazers as they would have a chance at finding an ideal 3-and-D wing to add to their roster.