5 potential trade destinations for Jrue Holiday
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves have long needed an upgrade at point guard, and according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, they’re still very much in the market for one after striking out on D’Angelo Russell in free agency. Holiday would be an excellent fit on a young team like the Wolves, helping launch them back into playoff contention alongside Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
With so many mouths to feed, the beauty of a player like Holiday is he doesn’t need to dominate the rock to be effective. He’d be able to defer to Minnesota’s two cornerstones, while picking and choosing his spots on offense and providing his brand of stout, pesky defense on the other end.
Jeff Teague would obviously be the starting point of a trade package thanks to his expiring $19 million salary and uneven play that makes him expendable. Because the Wolves are over the luxury tax, and because their luxury tax bill owed cannot exceed $6 million due to using the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, Gorgui Dieng would have to be included too, in addition the assets New Orleans might actually want: rookie Jarrett Culver and draft compensation.
Moving on from Culver after trading up to take him sixth in the 2019 NBA Draft would feel shortsighted, but given his struggles early in his rookie year (he’s posting .371/.250/.434 shooting splits) and the kind of player Holiday is, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. The Wolves would still have Josh Okogie to groom on the wing, and they’d rid themselves of the remaining $17.3 million Dieng is owed next season.
For the Pelicans, Teague’s expiring contract would make him an effective stopgap replacement. Dieng would strengthen a frontcourt that hasn’t been able to rely on Derrick Favors much this season, and he’d be off the books by 2021.
As for Culver, adding another promising two-way youngster who can handle the ball is exactly what the Pelicans should be doing to build around Zion Williamson. Frank Jackson would be included to balance out salaries, and the Pels would receive an unprotected 2020 first-rounder from Minnesota for their trouble.