Jrue Holiday Trade Rumors: 76ers 'Very Interested' in Reuniting with Pelicans PG

The Philadelphia 76ers are "very interested" in trading for New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey, Holiday is just one of the players on Philadelphia's radar. Pompey reported the Sixers have cast a wide net in terms of trade targets, with Houston Rockets star James Harden, Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield and San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills on their radar.

Holiday will make $25.4 million in 2020-21 and has a $26.3 million player option for 2021-22. The Pelicans appear ready to offload the 30-year-old as they look to reset a bit while continuing to build around Zion Williamson.

According to the Dallas Morning News' Brad Townsend, the Dallas Mavericks "are not in on the [Holiday] trade sweepstakes." New Orleans is hopeful of working out a deal with an Eastern Conference team.

The 2013 All-Star began his career in Philadelphia and played four seasons for the team. The Sixers sent him to the Pelicans ahead of the 2013-14 season in order to get Nerlens Noel and a first-round pick that became Elfrid Payton.

Ben Simmons was out injured, but the 76ers' sweep in the first round of the 2020 playoffs made it clear how badly another playmaker is needed. Simmons' eight assists per game in the regular season was a team high, and Al Horford was second with four.

One alluring aspect of chasing Holiday is that the front office might be able to swing a trade without significantly changing the top of its roster. Whereas Simmons would almost have to be included to make Houston think about giving up Harden, the Pelicans' demands will be far lower than that.

By virtue of likely being a playoff contender for the foreseeable future, Philadelphia's draft capital doesn't carry a ton of value, though. The pair of Horford (three years, $81 million) and Tobias Harris (four years, $147.3 million) are almost negative assets, too, thanks to their contracts. Josh Richardson, who turned 27 in September, may not necessarily fit with New Orleans' timeline, either.

President of basketball operations Daryl Morey got creative when it came time to improve the Rockets' roster, and he'll need to be equally inventive to address the Sixers' needs.