The Pelicans probably should have traded Jrue Holiday a long time ago, possibly the day after they won the Zion Williamson sweepstakes. The plan was to be competitive while developing young talent, but that plan went to hell when Williamson got injured.
Now Holiday is the best player on a bad team. The best day to trade him is today, but every day between now and the Feb. 6 trade deadline is an equally good day, too. (Ironically, trading Holiday to New Orleans in the first place is what kickstarted Philadelphia's half-decade of tanking.)
The New York Times' Marc Stein reports that New Orleans has softened on the no-trade posture they held last season. "Jrue Holiday is indeed available via trade, league sources say," Stein wrote in his Dec. 17 newsletter. "It would surely cost a significant amount to pry him away from the Pels, but this is a notable change in status given how unavailable Holiday was to interested teams last season."
Holiday, for those unaware, is one of the league's premier two-way point guards. He's averaging almost 20 points, 7 assists and two steals per game, but the box score barely shows his impact. Holiday is a demonic defender who would help nearly every team in the league.
"Guarding Jrue, he's a phenomenal player," Spencer Dinwiddie said on Tuesday. "In terms of guards who pick you up the full 94 or close to it, he's probably the best in the league at that. Top-tier defender, he's probably one of the best on-ball defenders besides like a Kawhi."
Dinwiddie, though, made those flattering remarks after the Nets beat the Pelicans in overtime.
There should be significant interest in Holiday, and for good reason. He can be the difference on a championship contender. If Pelicans brass is reading this, here are four teams you should reach out to for a trade including your team's best player:
