This sounds more like posturing than reality, but it’s interesting either way.
With the Pelicans exploring Anthony Davis trade options (a process that likely will drag out past the trade deadline and into the summer), there has come a second wave of trade talks with New Orleans: Nikola Mirotic, Julius Randle, and Jrue Holiday, in particular.
Saturday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski threw some cold water on the Holiday trade ideas.
Amid the Anthony Davis talks, teams calling on New Orleans' next best player -- guard Jrue Holiday -- tell ESPN that the Pels are indicating no interest in moving him. Beyond this season, Holiday has three years, $77M left on deal through 2022.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 2, 2019
No interest in getting out from under all that future money? Right. It’s not like they are going to stay competitive and make a playoff push.
No interest with what likely has been lowball offers from teams so far? That sounds more likely.
Mirotic is an expiring contract, Randle has a player option for $9.1 million next season he is not expected to pick up. It’s going to be easier to find a team willing to rent those players for a playoff run than to take on the future years and money of Holiday. That is more the kind of trade that happens in July.
This report strikes me more as a signal to potential trading partners that they need to do better.