This proposed trade sends Jrue Holiday to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Los Angeles Clippers are a team that is trying to win now, as evidenced by all the veterans currently on the roster. They need to find a way to win a championship with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. They are a team that has the assets to make a deal for a difference-making star-level player, and there are a few suitable trade targets around the league.

One potential trade target would be Jrue Holiday of the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks are a team that needs to improve their overall roster, and perhaps splitting Holiday’s contract into multiple players who can contribute is the right move. Here is a potential trade framework.

Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen

Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Norman Powell, Terance Mann, Robert Covington, Bones Hyland, Amir Coffey

There is no doubt that this could be a difference-making move for the Los Angeles Clippers. Jrue Holiday is still an elite player and a top-tier defender. Here is why this trade makes sense from the perspective of both franchises.

Jrue Holiday Can Be The Difference Maker For The Los Angeles Clippers

There is no doubt that Jrue Holiday is a fantastic guard, with championship experience. This past season with the Milwaukee Bucks, Holiday averaged 19.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game, while shooting 38.4% from 3PT range. He has shown that he can be the No. 3 option on a championship team with the Bucks in 2021: that is likely the role that he would play on the Los Angeles Clippers. It would definitely be interesting to see him in the backcourt with Russell Westbrook, as both are tenacious guards with a knack for perimeter defense. Jrue Holiday would likely play the shooting guard due to his marksmanship from the 3PT range, and he would definitely make life easier for Westbrook offensively.

The Los Angeles Clippers were originally going to target James Harden, but the Philadelphia 76ers have been reluctant to part with the guard. Now could be the time for the team to set their eyes on a different player like Jrue Holiday. That could also be a better fit from a basketball standpoint: Holiday is less ball-dominant than Harden and is a much better defender. Ty Lue is a coach who values defense and moving the ball, and the Clippers already have elite isolation scorers in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. It almost makes more sense to go after a complementary player like Holiday rather than a focal point like Harden.

Grayson Allen would be included in this deal, as well as the salary-matching component to the trade. However, he can also be a win-now contributor as a 3 and D player. Last season, Allen averaged 10.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game for the Bucks while shooting 39.9% from 3PT range.

This trade would essentially be a consolidation trade for the Los Angeles Clippers. They would move a number of role players to the Milwaukee Bucks to acquire a star-level player who can be a difference-maker.

The Milwaukee Bucks Get Younger And Round Out Their Roster

The Milwaukee Bucks are a veteran team that is relatively old (in basketball years), and perhaps the solution is for the team to try and get younger around Giannis Antetokounmpo. This trade would allow them to split Jrue Holiday’s contract into multiple contributors around the roster, and some of these players could easily help the team win a championship.

Norman Powell and Terance Mann would be the key players to watch in this deal. Norman Powell is a quality shooting guard, capable of providing scoring and shot creation off the bench. Last season, Norman Powell had a really good year, averaging 17.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. Terance Mann would fill the starting point guard slot over Jrue Holiday, and he brings some of the same things to the team. Mann has shown that he is a quality defender during his time with the Clippers, and is also a good 3PT shooter who averaged 38.9% from the 3PT range. Though neither player is as good as Jrue Holiday on an individual level, their combined impact could be enough to mitigate his loss.

The rest of this package features Robert Covington and Bones Hyland, both of whom can play rotational roles for the Milwaukee Bucks. Covington is a solid 3 and D player, who has been underutilized on the Los Angeles Clippers. Meanwhile, Bones Hyland is a promising young guard who is instant offense, and reminiscent of players like Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams in playstyle.

Overall, this trade would give the Milwaukee Bucks a more well-rounded roster. Though the team would definitely be slightly lower overall from a talent standpoint, the improved depth could absolutely be worth it.

This Is A Good Trade For Both The Bucks And The Clippers

This would definitely be an interesting trade for both the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Clippers. The Los Angeles Clippers would get an overall talent increase to keep up with the rest of the Western Conference, with a lot of teams making big moves this summer. Jrue Holiday is a player that knows how to win and would fit well on the Clippers. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks would fill out their roster with capable players and improve their depth. One thing to note is that this trade keeps the Bucks competitive, while also providing insurance for the future in the scenario that Giannis Antetokounmpo leaves (Terance Mann and Bones Hyland are young enough to be part of a rebuild).

It remains to be seen if the Bucks and the Clippers end up doing a trade with this framework in the future. It could be a smart move for both teams, and we’ll see if it ends up happening before the start of the season.