New Orleans Pelicans: Why acquiring Bol Bol for Jrue Holiday is a steal

The New Orleans Pelicans will set themselves up to be legit contenders in the future by acquiring Bol Bol from the Denver Nuggets in a Jrue Holiday trade

It’s that time of year again, and the rumor mill is already heating up for the New Orleans Pelicans as we approach key offseason events. Of course, what that translates to is the fact that the New Orleans Pelicans will be shopping Jrue Holiday yet again.

I know to fans it might seem tiring having to hear about Holiday’s time in New Orleans coming to an end, but as we pointed out earlier it only makes sense for the team’s future and their salary cap. 

So the age-old question becomes what trade package makes sense for the New Orleans Pelicans? No ones can give that answer for sure, but if you read Zach Lowe’s column for ESPN you’ll find that Lowe’s sources believe that the Brooklyn Nets and Denver Nuggets would be the two teams with the inside track in the Holiday sweepstakes. What I found interesting is that Lowe mentioned a potential package from the Nuggets built on future draft picks and young center Bol Bol.

Why did that package catch my eye? Well, did you see how Bol Bol performed in the NBA bubble? There’s a huge chance that Bol Bol could become the NBA’s next great unicorn, and the Nuggets already have one of those in Nikola Jokic.

Why Bol Bol could be a dominating force on the New Orleans Pelicans

When you consider Bol Bol’s standing on the Nuggets roster stuck behind Nikola Jokic and sparingly playing in a starting role because of it, it only makes sense for him to be included in a deal with the Pelicans. In many ways, a deal centered around Jrue Holiday for Bol Bol makes sense for both teams as a way to unclog their roster.

Going back to Bol Bol’s potential, it’s a major factor in this potential deal happening because he’s the only player that the Pelicans could get in a Holiday deal that could end up being better than Holiday. The Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers certainly aren’t giving the Pelicans a potential All-Star and while some of the young players on the Nets are great, none of them have the potential Bol Bol has.

What I’m picturing right now is the possibility that acquiring Bol Bol would give the New Orleans Pelicans a starting lineup of Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart (or another potential shooting guard), Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, with Bol Bol at center. That’s a lineup that features devasting length, multiple ballhandlers, and floor spacers at every position. Essentially the perfect roster for the modern NBA.

Give that line up with a rotation that features the raw but potential-filled Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jaxson Hayes to head coach Stan Van Gundy and we’re talking about a team that one paper could run the NBA for years to come.

That’s because Bol Bol adds a lot of that versatility to the Pelicans roster. We’ve already seen that at 7’2″ he can block shots, but he also has an offensive game that features a smooth 3 point shot and developing post-game. Not to mention an underrated passing ability.

Sure, maybe I’m fawning over Bol Bol a little too much, and there are risks in this deal considering the foot injury that caused Bol Bol to drop into the second round and spend much of his rookie season on the bench, but I just can’t get past the potential. If need be, the Pelicans could always platoon Bol Bol with Jaxson Hayes to protect his health, and follow the modern NBA strategy of load management.

Winning in the NBA is all about making bold moves and utilizing game-changing talent. Bol Bol may not have a 12-year career in the NBA but he’s a matchup nightmare that Jrue Holiday could never be. If the Pelicans could just maximize Bol Bol’s peak with the other stars on their roster then trading Jrue Holiday for him could finally net the team their elusive first title.