NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on Jrue Holiday Trade, Goran Dragic, Heat, More
A flurry of moves could be coming during this unorthodox NBA offseason.
Right now, teams aren't allowed to make trades or sign free agents. But that will soon change, likely only a few days after the 2020 NBA draft, which is scheduled for Nov. 18. There won't be much time for teams to make moves thereafter, as the 2020-21 season is tentatively set to begin Dec. 22.
There have already been plenty of rumors regarding numerous high-profile players, and those are likely to ramp up even more over the next few weeks. Here's some of the latest buzz from around the NBA.
Numerous Teams Interested in Jrue Holiday Trade
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One player whose name has been involved in trade rumors is New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday. The 30-year-old has reportedly been drawing interest from other teams, and it's possible the Pelicans will be receiving some offers for him.
According to The Athletic's William Guillory, three teams that are "expected to be at the front of the line" trying to trade for Holiday are the Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat. However, Guillory also added to not be surprised "to see plenty more behind them."
Holiday is an 11-year NBA veteran and has spent the past seven seasons with New Orleans. He's put up some of the best numbers of his career in recent years, including this past season, when he averaged 19.1 points, 6.7 assists and 1.6 steals in 61 games.
If a team trades for Holiday this offseason, they may be getting him for only one season. His contract includes a player option for 2021-22, worth $27.15 million, so he could opt out and hit the free-agent market.
The Pelicans are a team on the rise as they build around a core featuring Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. Holiday has been a strong player, but if they get a big offer that would help them continue to gear up for the future, it could be too hard to ignore.
What Moves Are on Horizon for Heat?
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This has the potential to be an interesting offseason for the Heat—especially because of what they may do to set themselves up for the next offseason.
First, Miami has decisions to make regarding some key players who are now free agents. ESPN's Zach Lowe recently reported that the Heat have interest in re-signing point guard Goran Dragic and small forward Jae Crowder, both of whom played key roles in helping them reach the NBA Finals this past season.
However, Miami will also have an eye toward next offseason, when there's a chance two-time reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo could be the top prize on the free-agent market.
"The Heat won't do anything that jeopardizes their chances with Antetokounmpo," Lowe wrote. "The list of such things might include asking Bam Adebayo to wait until next offseason to sign his new contract—a way of maximizing cap space for Antetokounmpo."
Could that influence whether Miami brings back Dragic and/or Crowder? Lowe believes Dragic is a "good candidate" for a big one-year deal. He expects Crowder to "draw multiyear offers around the $9.3 million midlevel exception," which the Heat should retain him at, even if that means they will have to find another way to clear some extra cap space for 2021.
Could Former Knick Return to New York?
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Justin Holiday has played for seven teams during his seven-year NBA career, which included spending the 2016-17 season with the New York Knicks. It appears there could be a reunion on the horizon.
SNY's Ian Begley recently reported that the Knicks may have interest in signing the 31-year-old, who is a free agent after spending the 2019-20 season with the Indiana Pacers.
"Some decision-makers see Holiday as a player worth pursuing in free agency, per SNY sources," Begley wrote.
In his lone season with the Knicks, Holiday played in all 82 games (making four starts), averaging 7.7 points per contest and shooting a career-best 43.3 percent from the field. He's continued to be a solid bench contributor since his departure from New York, as he averaged 8.3 points in 73 games for Indiana in this past season.
The Knicks may not be alone in their pursuit of Holiday, as J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star recently reported that the Pacers have interest in bringing back the shooting guard. However, Begley noted that New York will have the cap space to entice him with a "high value short-term contract."
