NBA trade rumors are flying out from every direction this week. In what seems to be the most active the NBA has been since the Finals held in early October, the Boston Celtics have found themselves involved with a plethora of trade rumors.
The New Orleans Pelicans have made guard Jrue Holiday available for trade. This news has been circulated since the middle of the 2019-2020 season but has recently picked up more since the season has ended. Holiday is a terrific player that can play both guard positions. One of the better and most underappreciated defenders in the league, Holiday is also a premier ball-handler and can shoot the ball with efficiency.
Having Assets
The value of Holiday is high, and the Celtics have plenty to offer New Orleans for the 30-year-old guard. New Orleans is a team that has plenty of youth in Zion Williamson, Lonzo Ball, and Brandon Ingram. This makes the team set for the future, as the team wants to develop that young core. What the Pelicans are looking for is not a bunch of first-round picks, but just one high lottery pick and a few veteran players.
The Celtics have three first-round picks in this year’s draft. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer had said that the Celtics have been openly shopping those three picks in a package for a top 6 pick. If the Celtics can trade those picks to Atlanta for the sixth overall pick, it would seem likely that Boston would then flip that pick to New Orleans.
There are a few possible pieces that would be traded alongside that acquired pick. Some reports say that Gordon Hayward would be shipped to New Orleans along with the sixth pick. Other reports say that the team would trade Marcus Smart and one of the rookies over to New Orleans for Holiday. The best scenario for Boston would be a trade that surrounds Gordon Hayward.
New Orleans Receives:
-Gordon Hayward (1 year; 34.1 million)
– 2020 first-round pick (6th overall)
Boston Receives:
- Jrue Holiday (2 years; 25.3 million)
Why it Works for NOP
For New Orleans, they received a high-value draft pick in this year’s draft. Although they have a plethora of young talent on the roster, the team could look into finding another wing to complement Ingram. Ingram is a very talented offensive player, but his defense is not very strong. The Pelicans could look into drafting the defensive wing Isaac Okoro from Auburn.
New Orleans also received a one-year rental in Hayward. He is a complete basketball player and can do it all on the court at a high rate. His leadership is very valuable to a team that is riddled with young guys. Hayward can play three positions; shooting guard, small forward, and power forward. His versatility can match any lineup the Pelicans can run. His contract is also favorable due to it only having one year left on it. This allows the Pelicans to not worry about their salary cap for the upcoming year when they will have to pay some of their younger guys.
Why it Works for BOS
For Boston, the trade allows the team to acquire another borderline All-Star to their roster. Holiday would come in and replace Hayward in the lineup, moving Jaylen Brown to the small forward position. Adding Holiday gives Boston another great defender. Which will only deepen their rotation for defense. Holiday also provides more ball-handling for Kemba Walker, but can also succeed off the ball.
With Holiday coming to Boston, this allows Smart to come off the bench. Smart mostly started last season due to injuries in Hayward and Walker. But with Holiday, even if Walker gets injured Smart can still come off the bench. This helps the Boston bench get better. Now with a leader and veteran dedicated to the bench in Smart, the Celtics do not need to run their starting five more than 40 minutes a game every night. The Celtics bench was filled with young players, but now that Smart is back on the bench his leadership and experience will help develop the bench into becoming more sustainable.
For this trade to happen, the Celtics will need to make the trade for the 6th overall pick from Atlanta. Hayward would also have to opt into his player option for the upcoming season.
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