The Utah Jazz desperately need another perimeter playmaker to pair with Donovan Mitchell. New Orleans Pelicans G Jrue Holiday would fit the bill nicely.
One of the Association’s most discussed and speculated on possibilities became reality on Monday. New Orleans Pelicans star and perennial MVP candidate Anthony Davis informed his team he’s not looking to extend with them and would like to be traded out of NOLA posthaste. For the Utah Jazz, that means it’s time to deal.
Not for Davis — who may be a dream fit next to Rudy Gobert in Utah’s frontcourt, but is likely unobtainable — but for combo guard Jrue Holiday.
Holiday may or may not actually be on the block, but if AD and the Pels are on the outs, the team is headed hard and fast toward a full-on rebuild. In that scenario, it would stand to reason that the former All-Star guard be the next player to go.
For his part, Holiday may want out, too. In the wake of the news, he told reporters that AD was “like 90 percent” of the reason he re-signed with the Pels.
Holiday said AD is “like 90 percent” the reason I stayed in New Orleans.
— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) January 28, 2019
Enter the Jazz, who have already shown interest in acquiring a high-level guard.
Much has been said and written recently about Utah making a play for Memphis Grizzlies point-man Mike Conley, who has reportedly been made available on the trade front for the first time. And while Conley would be a nice fit and absolute upgrade over current Jazz floor general Ricky Rubio, acquiring him isn’t quite a slam dunk.
Sure, Conley is currently putting up 20 points and six assists per contest, but he’s also 31 years old, has had more than his fair share of injuries and is due an incredible $32.5 million next season, followed by $34.5 million in 2020-21, unless he exercises his early termination option.
Meanwhile, Holiday, who is putting up 21 and eight on the year, is three years younger, will make nearly $8 million less per annum on average over the next three seasons and has a size (6-foot-4 to 6-foot-1) and length (6-foot-7 to 6-foot-6) advantage over Conley.
Defensively, both are willing and able on the court, but those measurements make Holiday the more intriguing fit in Utah’s Gobert-anchored front.
In terms of overall impact on their teams, NOLA is nearly 16 points per 100 possessions better when Holiday is on the floor. Memphis improves by around 10 pts./100 poss., but are just about even with the opposition when he’s on the floor. Holiday boasts a net rating over five.
Also — Holiday can float between both guard spots, which could make him an ideal pairing with Donovan Mitchell. If you subscribe to Basketball Reference’s position estimates, it’s worth nothing that Holiday has about a 70/30 split between minutes at the one and the two. This season, more than 60 percent of his minutes have been at shooting guard.
Conley has spent virtually all of his career running point, which is fine if you plan to keep Mitchell “off ball,” but point guard may well be his spot in the end. In Holiday, you have a player who could easily take on whichever role Mitchell doesn’t.
The one area where Conley gets Holiday is 3-point shooting; he’s a career 37.5-percent shooter from distance, while Holiday is at 35.6 percent. Both players are more consistent deep threats than Rubio.
Bottom line: Conley would be good in a Jazz uniform (as long as his body holds up); Holiday could be great for years to come. Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey ought to be on the phone with New Orleans headman Dell Demps before anyone else.