NBA Rumors: Pelicans, Nets Explored Jrue Holiday Trade In February, Per Brian Windhorst
Despite the successful acquisition of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving last summer, the Brooklyn Nets continue to be active on the market searching for major roster upgrades. Though they have yet to see their roster at its full strength, the Nets believe they still need more star power in order to have a better chance of fully dominating the Eastern Conference and winning the NBA championship title. One of the players who has been frequently linked to the Nets is veteran point guard Jrue Holiday of the New Orleans Pelicans.
In a recent appearance on The Hoop Collective podcast, Brian Windhorst of ESPN talked about hypothetical trade scenarios in the 2020 offseason involving four players, including Holiday.
Though the deal failed to materialize, Windhorst revealed the Nets and the Pelicans discussed a trade centered on Holiday before the 2020 February NBA trade deadline.
“That’s certainly something that’s been out there,” Windhorst said, as transcribed by SB Nation’s NetsDaily.
“I think it’s been reported but if it hasn’t, I found out somewhere — I don’t think it was from an executive — maybe it was — that there was some discussion between the Nets and Pelicans in February.”
The Nets would have been an intriguing trade partner for the Pelicans. They are one of the few title contenders in the league that has a plethora of precious trade assets to engage in a blockbuster deal. Aside from having a war chest of draft picks, they also have plenty of young and promising talents on their roster like Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert.
Acquiring Allen or LeVert in exchange for Holiday would help the Pelicans solidify their core, which features Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Josh Hart.
However, though most people are expecting them to focus on the development of their young players, Windhorst isn’t “100 percent convinced” the Pelicans and the Nets will revisit their trade negotiation involving the veteran point guard this fall.
“I’m not 100 percent convinced the Pelicans are going to move him,” Windhorst said.
“I think it’s an option for them. I think it also depends on the coach that they hire and the way that coach wants to play. But they did kick it around (last season).”
Despite losing Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers last summer, the Pelicans made it clear to everyone in the league that they have no intention of moving Holiday and undergoing a full-scale rebuild. Though he clearly doesn’t fit the timeline of their young core, they still consider him as part of their long-term future.
But, as Windhorst noted, Holiday’s fate in New Orleans will still depend on who they hire to replace Alvin Gentry as their next head coach this offseason.
