New Orleans Pelicans: Jrue Holiday is becoming the Clippers’ Top Target

In this trade, the New Orleans Pelicans fill out their roster while the Los Angeles Clippers add their final piece in Jrue Holiday

When thinking about the question I posed, I determined the Los Angeles Clippers can provide the New Orleans Pelicans with a solid trade package that would set the team’s rotation in 2021. Here’s the deal:

In this move, the Los Angeles Clippers get Jrue Holiday who completes a big three with Leonard and George. The trio becomes arguably the best defensive group in the NBA and a serious threat on the perimeter. Of course, Holiday and his career 6 assists per game will give the Clippers the playmaker they lacked this year.

Adding a smart guard who gets the offense going when the Clippers are struggling makes them a true contender for the 2021 championship.

Of course, we’re all here to assess the New Orleans Pelicans in this deal, and I think the team makes out well with this trade. Starting with Patrick Beverley, the Pelicans receive a poor-mans Jrue Holiday who’s a better shooter from deep at 38 percent.

I think Beverley’s addition would make perfect sense because he gives the Pelicans the back-up point guard they’re missing and some ferocious defense of his own. A former All-Defensive first-team guard isn’t a bad addition.

Then there’s Landry Shamet, he’s a player I’m fond of. A young shooting guard with a lights-out 40 percent stroke from distance, Shamet is another young player to add to the Pelicans core. In the short term, the team can use Shamet in J.J. Redick’s role which allows them to trade Redick and open up cap space.

As time moves on, Shamet’s skill set can evolve and he might be asked to play more in pick-and-roll situations if he shows offensive growth.

In my opinion, though, the key to this deal is Ivica Zubac. Adding Zubac in this Jrue Holiday trade gives the New Orleans Pelicans a perfect rim-protector who can share center duties with Jaxson Hayes, a plan we’ve written about before.

Adding Zubac is adding an effort rebounder on both ends of the floor and don’t forget, Zubac is a player who played with Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram with the Los Angeles Lakers. Reuniting Zubac with that duo brings easy chemistry and a quick lob threat on the Pelicans offense.

I know, this deal isn’t what most New Orleans Pelicans fans anticipate when they hear trade possibilities for Jure Holiday, and if the organization decides they want to keep him I’d understand. All I’m saying is that the Los Angeles Clippers will start calling, and if they present this offer I’d consider it.