According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat are among the interested teams in New Orleans Pelicans star guard Jrue Holiday.
Denver and Miami are among interested teams in Holiday and several others are expected to emerge, according to sources. Multiple teams told The Athletic that the Pelicans are listening to trade calls for anyone on the roster, but their asking price remains high on Holiday.
Holiday, 29, is having a strong season once again for the Pelicans, averaging 20 points, 6.4 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game during the 2019-20 season. Long considered one of the premier defensive guards in the NBA, Holiday averages 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks per game, ranking 4th and 2nd respectively among qualified NBA guards. Holiday’s skill set is incredibly versatile, and his ability to play both on the ball (11th in paint drives per game) and off the ball (35.9 three-point percentage on catch-and-shoot threes) makes him an alluring piece for the Nuggets.
The Nuggets have been linked to Holiday throughout the rumor season, and with the trade deadline less than a week away (February 6th at 1pm MDT), Denver is looking into different ways to acquire major talent to compete for a championship as soon as this year.
The problem with any deal is the price, and it seems like the Pelicans aren’t looking to move Holiday any time soon, and Holiday is okay with that. More from Shams:
Throughout this season, there has been speculation among teams about Holiday eventually wanting a trade out of New Orleans. However, league sources told The Athletic that Holiday has made clear he’s happy in New Orleans and committed to the city and team. According to sources with knowledge of his thinking, Holiday is said to want to take the rest of the season to view how this team performs, how the Pelicans can build upon winning 12 of their 18 games since Dec. 23 and how they can build down the road.
The prospect of adding Holiday to a team that includes Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. is very enticing, both this season and going forward; however, it remains to be seen if Denver has pieces outside of those three to make such a deal. New Orleans would likely demand one of Denver’s starting wings, Gary Harris or Will Barton, be in the deal, while also desiring wing prospect Malik Beasley. Other notable names that could be asked about are Juancho Hernangomez, Jarred Vanderbilt, Bol Bol, P.J. Dozier, as well as multiple first round picks. Despite the high asking price though, New Orleans may still deem any Denver deal insufficient without the inclusion of Murray or Porter in the final construction.
If that’s the case, then it seems highly unlikely the Pelicans and Nuggets actually come to terms on a deal.
Still, it’s notable that the Nuggets have interest in Holiday. Even with Holiday, one may question if the Nuggets have enough pieces to advance to the NBA Finals this year past LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, and Paul George of the two Los Angeles teams. This would be a big swing, as no player better than Holiday will likely be moved at the deadline this year.
Well Nuggets fans, would Jrue Holiday be a good fit in Denver?
