NFL
The NBA trade rumors are heating up with the deadline a little less than two months away. One big name being mentioned as trade bait is PG/SG Jrue Holiday of the New Orleans Pelicans. Should this be a name the Knicks go after in 2020?
The Knicks and Pelicans are both at the bottom of their respective divisions and are in dire need of a shot in the arm. But here’s the lone issue that could halt such a deal. What if Holiday doesn’t want to be in NY?
Yet what that also means is Jrue Holiday is indeed available via trade, league sources say. 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
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 17, 2019
Throughout his career, Holiday has never been the type of player to cater to or create a circus environment. Holiday understands this is a business but even the best of men can get fed up with losing. Just missing out on the playoffs in New Orleans was tolerated because he had a good shot with Anthony Davis. Now, with Davis gone and the Pelicans going toward more a youth movement, Holiday may not be able to stomach any more lottery-driven seasons.
This is what the Knicks must consider. Yes, Holiday will be a professional if traded there but will he want to stay? On the flip side, the Knicks are not as bad as their record indicates. A huge portion of their losses was due to the ineffectiveness of former coach David Fizdale. No, he did not have the right talent to coach but his schemes were just awful.
With Fizdale at the helm, the Knicks’ offense stalled. With Mike Miller, the losing has continued but we’re talking a team playing with passion now. Adding a veteran scorer and defender such as Holiday will do wonders for members of the current roster and a good selling point for any free agent prospects. This season, Holiday is averaging 19.6 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.1 rebounds while shooting .438 percent from the floor.
Holiday is still on the books for one more season after this year at $26.4M with a player option for the 2020-21 season at $26M. The Knicks can afford his deal if they move a few parts. What it will cost them is a first-round pick and they will need to move Marcus Morris, Bobby Portis, and Taj Gibson. This may work if the Pelicans are looking for cap relief.
A move of this magnitude will allow the Knicks to experiment with a new lineup that includes Elfrid Payton, Holiday, Barrett, Randle and Mitchell Robinson. Another plus for the Knicks would be pairing old Pelicans’ teammates (Holiday, Payton, Randle) back together who had a great year as a trio in 2018.
