The past few seasons everything the Phoenix Suns have tried to address their point guard void has fizzled out and been unsuccessful. Moving forward the team should have plenty of options available to address the problem. Could a future trade for Jrue Holiday make him the point guard for the future?
When the Pelicans finally decide they are going to move on from Anthony Davis, many fans and team’s attention will be focused on where will end up. While it can be fun to imagine the Phoenix Suns making a godfather offer for Davis, it is not realistic. So, while the rest of the league holds their assets for the big prize the Suns may be able to land the Pelicans second best player with less competition.
The selling point of a trade would be Jrue Holiday‘s fit next to Devin Booker, which is about as good as you could ask for. Holiday is a career 35% 3-point shooter, down to 32% this year, which is not amazing but coupled with the volume of 3’s he takes, (5.1 a game), makes it respectable enough.
Holiday has raised his passing this year to a tune of a career high 8.5 assists a game, all while scoring 21 points and playing all-NBA caliber defense.
A difficult part about trading for Holiday for most teams is his 25 million dollar salary, which could extend until the 2021-22 season if Holiday picks up a player option. Although it is more likely for a trade like this to happen in the summer so much could change before then.
Either way a trade of Holiday is not made unless Anthony Davis is on his way out.
That said, if New Orleans called the Suns at the trade deadline this year this is what the trade could look like.
Although the Pelicans may hate taking on Ryan Anderson‘s contract in this trade, it is the only contract large enough to match up with Holiday so he must be included. For compensation they will receive a pick with great odds to be in the top-5 of the draft while still having Anthony Davis to trade.
They will also get a somewhat promising guard prospect in Elie Okobo to fill Holiday’s minutes in New Orleans initial rebuild.
For the Phoenix Suns this gives them a near 29-year-old all-star level point guard under contract for the next four seasons, while also unloading Anderson’s bulbous deal. This will leave the Suns with some flexibility this summer to sign and re-sign players along with giving them a reason not to tank away the season.
Partly due to how low I am on this upcoming draft I believe that if the Suns get an opportunity like this they should not pass it up.
Because it is highly unlikely New Orleans makes any big trades during the season it is interesting to see how different a trade would like like in the summer if the Suns choose to pursue Holiday.
However, his fit with Booker and his contract make him someone that can be the Suns point guard for the next half decade.