The Los Angeles Lakers could very well be in the market for upgrading their roster. Rajon Rondo is a free agent, along with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Losing these two would leave their backcourt a bit bare on their journey to repeat as champions. Now potentially, Jrue Holiday enters the fold as a potential target.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday is on the market with many contenders vying for his services.
The New Orleans Pelicans are openly discussing star Jrue Holiday in trade talks and several contending teams are pursuing, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 4, 2020
It’s the hope of fans that the Lakers are one of those contenders and can come back to the table again with the Pelicans. Holiday is not only a Los Angeles native, but one of Anthony Davis’ closest friends. The two spent several seasons as teammates and train during the off-season. I’m sure that reuniting the two is a move that both Davis and LeBron James would support. Holiday would instantly plugin for defensive and ball-handling holes left by losing anyone to free agency.
He finished last season averaging 19.1 points, 6.7 assists, and 1.6 steals (tied for 10th in the league).
Now bringing him to LA would take a few integral pieces. The Lakers could offer Danny Green, Kyle Kuzma, and fan-favorite Alex Caruso to make the $25.3 million dollar figure on Holiday’s deal work. They could also throw in their 28th pick and add him to the transaction similar to how they used the fourth pick in the 2019 draft. Green’s expiring $15 million deal would give the Pelicans cap relief to add some pieces from the 2021 free agency class. Kuzma and Caruso are two more young pieces that they can add to their young core or use for a bigger deal down the road.
It’s likely going to come down to who has the best package and if Holiday has a preferred location. If the latter is true, the possibility of linking with two superstars in his hometown has to speak to him. Holiday has been one of the more underrated players in the league, but putting on the purple and gold would quickly change that narrative.
