Jrue Holiday
This may very well be my favorite option of the bunch. And it’s one that I hoped Utah would be able to pursue at February’s deadline, though ultimately the New Orleans Pelicans opted to stand pat.
I would be shocked if they stand pat this offseason, though. It’s all too clear that Anthony Davis wants out and is only going to serve as a detriment if he remains on the Pelicans roster moving forward. The Pelicans will likely have multiple suitors this summer as they look to offload AD. And if they’re going to be getting rid of him, it’s likely time to hit the reset entirely and deal their solid veteran point guard Jrue Holiday as well.
Holiday would be a worthy prize for any team looking for point guard help, and could even potentially be a piece of a three-team trade that would be required for a separate team to land Davis and for the Pelicans to get the assets they require. Whether by this method or a simple two-team transaction, the Jazz need to aim to throw their hat in the ring for Holiday.
Holiday showed in full force what he could do last postseason by effectively shutting down Damian Lillard en route to the Pelicans’ upset sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs. The Jazz have long struggled against prolific point guards such as Lillard, and bringing in an elite stopper such as Holiday would be revolutionary.
But beyond defense, Holiday is a talented scorer as well. He’s putting up a career-high 21.2 points per game this season, and while his three-point efficiency leaves a little to be desired, his field goal shooting is prolific as he’s been near 50 percent each of the last two seasons. Once again, he would be incredible alongside Mitchell as the two would create an ideal scoring and defensive pair, likely striking fear into several opposing backcourts.
Holiday is also the youngest of the options on this list as he’s right around the same age as Ricky Rubio, meaning he still has plenty left in the tank and could be Utah’s franchise point guard for years to come. Therein, however, is also found the biggest risk involving Holiday. He would still have three years remaining on his contract (player option in year three) and with a somewhat checkered injury history, he could be a bit of a concern for Utah moving forward.
Not only that, but while the Pelicans may be aiming to move him, it’s hard to see the Jazz being able to put together an enticing enough package to get it done. Holiday is highly valuable and could help shape or re-shape a franchise for years to come. As such, he’s not going to come on the cheap.
Nevertheless, considering how valuable he would be to a Utah team that desperately needs an elite point guard, the Jazz absolutely have to try. Landing Holiday would be an exciting move in the right direction and could very well vault them into the upper echelon of the Western Conference.
The Utah Jazz have a lot going for them. Between two budding stars in Mitchell and Gobert, ample cap space this summer and a brilliant coach in Quin Snyder, there’s a lot to like about how they could develop moving forward. However, there’s no denying that they need another piece if they are to truly become a championship contender. And if you ask me, an elite point guard would be the most beneficial addition.
Each of the three I’ve listed here are elite players that won’t be traded away lightly, but every franchise-altering trade requires risk and sacrifice. Considering where the Jazz have remained since their NBA Finals appearances over two decades ago, it’s high time they took said risk and went all in to acquire a player such as Conley, Lowry or Holiday who could elevate them to an entirely new level and fix a long-lasting deficiency at the point guard spot.