LA Clippers: Jrue Holiday should be the team’s top target this summer

The LA Clippers should have Jrue Holiday as their top target this summer.

The LA Clippers need a playmaker. While Patrick Beverley is solid, he probably isn’t the exact guy the team needs. They share those sentiments according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. In his latest piece (subscription required), he notes that the Clippers’ top goal this offseason is to add a playmaker to the team. If that’s the case, Jrue Holiday needs to be their top target.

Why Holiday?

Jrue is a 6’3, 30-year-old combo guard. I know you just read “combo guard” and thought, “you just said we need a playmaker…”. You’re right. Jrue can do that. He’s averaged 6.4 assists per game in his 11-year career. Compare that to Beverley who averages just 3.5 for his career and you can see how it’s an instant upgrade.

Outside of the playmaking, Holiday is a much better scorer. Over his career, he’s putting up 15.9 points per game but he’s had his best three scoring seasons over the last three years. This season for the Pelicans, he put up 19.1 per game on 45.5% shooting. He’s decently effective from deep, connecting on 35.3% from deep this season on 5.7 attempts.

There’s not a lot of drop off, if any, on the defensive end either. Holiday is a two-time member of the All-Defensive team (1st team in 2017-18 and 2nd team in 2018-19) and just barely missed the cut on this year’s team. Some even argued that he should have been in over Patrick Beverley. His size is his biggest advantage though with his 6’3 frame allowing him to switch onto most wing players. This fit beside Paul George and Kawhi Leonard would keep the Clippers as one of the top defensive threats in the league.

Is it possible?

Here’s the big problem: Money. Holiday is set to make $25 million next season meaning any trade the Clippers make would have to include several players. Patrick Beverley and his $13 million get the talks started but the Clippers would have to add pieces. As an example, here’s a trade that works just from the money side.

LAC Receives: Jrue Holiday

NOP Receives: Patrick Beverley, Landry Shamet, Lou Williams

Clippers lose a lot of depth, huh? Rodney McGruder is also a possibility in any hypothetical deal with his $5 million salary. The issue at hand though is that the pieces the Clippers currently have don’t really get the job done.

Shamet is a nice piece in the deal, giving the Pelicans more shooting and youth to put next to Zion Williamson as they build for the future. Beverley is a tough veteran who can offer some leadership on the team and isn’t signed long-term. Williams also fits that mold and both would be helpful to have if the Pelicans can make a playoff appearance next season. While that’s all fine and well, it would likely be easy for another team to simply outbid the Clippers by simply making a similar offer with draft picks also attached.

The Clippers don’t have any picks they can attach to a deal unless New Orleans is happy taking back some second-rounders which seems unlikely.

Jrue Holiday to the Clippers seems like a longshot for now unless the Clippers can make other moves to get assets. Regardless, the team should look long and hard at Holiday and see if the Pelicans are willing to move him. If they are, LA needs to make that their primary goal this offseason.