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 Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

The New Orleans Pelicans add wing-depth by sending Jrue Holiday to Denver

For this trade, it’s all about the Denver Nuggets making a move to win-now while the New Orleans Pelicans surround their young talent with quality complementary pieces. Some fans might think Jrue Holiday should be fetching more from Denver but this a realistic trade:

I liken this trade to a poor man’s version of the Toronto Raptors’ trade for Kawhi Leonard and that’s why it might just work.

Why The Pelicans Make This Deal

For the New Orleans Pelicans, this deal would only cost them a second-round selection rather than their first-round pick, and it would be a chance to build depth that’s needed to contend in the playoffs.

To start, the Pelicans would be buying low on Gary Harris who early in his career flashed strong 3-and-D guard potential but now looks lost in Denver playing a much slower pace controlled by center Nikola Jokic. With the New Orleans Pelicans playing with more pace maybe Harris pops again.

Then the team would get one of the most underrated players in the NBA in Will Barton. The Pelicans get lucky that the emergence of Micheal Porter Jr. has left Barton out of the loop at times and acquire a player who can boost defense on the wing and run a little bit of back-up at the point if needed.

The sweetener to the deal would be a conditional first-round pick. This would be just like what the Raptors gave to San Antonio where if the Denver Nuggets either win a certain amount of games or make a certain playoff round they would send New Orleans their first-round pick. If they don’t then New Orleans would end up getting a second-round pick.

Why The Nuggets Make This Deal

Denver makes this deal to win-now! Adding Jrue Holiday to their lineup would give the team a  projected starting lineup of Jamal Murray, Jrue Holiday, Micheal Porter Jr., Jerami Grant, and Nikola Jokic. That lineup could be the best line-up in the Western Conference.

The added dimensions Holiday would give the Nuggets would be immense. To start he’d be giving them excellent defense out on the perimeter that could be even better than what they had from Harris or Barton.

Then adding Jrue Holiday could become something that helps develop Jamal Murray further as his touches will go down a bit and he can improve his scoring efficiency.

All that before we even get to imagine a deadly Jrue Holiday-Nikola Jokic pick-and-roll that would potentially be unstoppable.

Giving up two good wings (and a draft pick) for a great wing would be a win for the Nuggets and something that would put them with the two Los Angeles teams for conference supremacy.