Milwaukee Bucks: Ranking 5 potential trade candidates this offseason

Milwaukee Bucks: Ranking 5 potential trade candidates this offseason – No. 1 Jrue Holiday, New Orleans Pelicans

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported earlier this week that the New Orleans Pelicans were openly discussing Jrue Holiday in trade rumors. The 30-year-old guard will be one of the hottest targets on the market this offseason, and the Bucks should make a run at him.

Holiday has steadily been one of the best two-way guards in the association in his career, and his stock is sky-high because of it. In 2019-20, the guard averaged 19.1 points on .455/.353/.709 shooting splits, 4.8 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Those numbers could push any contending team to the forefront of the next season’s title odds, including the Milwaukee Bucks.

With the biggest hole in Milwaukee’s roster being the guard position, Holiday fits the bill more than any other candidate. Holiday’s playmaking, scoring, floor spacing, and defensive prowess check off all of the boxes for the Bucks in their search for a guard, which puts him at the front line of potential trade targets for the team this offseason.

While pursuing Holiday is sensible, general manager Jon Horst would have to pull some strings to even get into the conversation with the slew of other contending teams interested.

The Bucks’ current asset pile is far more depleted than teams such as the Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, or Brooklyn Nets, put them at a disadvantage from the start. Set to make $25.4 million next season and entertain a $26.2 million option the following, Holiday does not come cheap either.

As challenging of a move as it could be to pull off, the Bucks should be in the mix of teams looking to pull off a blockbuster trade for Jrue Holiday this offseason.