Grade the Trade: Jrue Holiday routed to Warriors in mock deal

Would the Warriors accept this Holiday trade?

When discussing potential trades, it’s often best narratively to weigh the pros and cons in a meandering course to end up at the finish line of answering the question of whether the Warriors should make the deal. Let’s cut to the chase: the Warriors should absolutely make this trade.

The biggest need on their current roster is backcourt size and defense. Klay Thompson may start games at shooting guard but he’s a forward at this point of his career, without the agility and quickness to defend guards as he once did. Chris Paul is undersized, and Curry is improved but not a lockdown option. Gary Payton II is the current answer, but his offensive game is limited enough that there are diminishing returns to playing him with the other starters.

Jrue Holiday is perhaps the most perfect solution in the entire NBA. He is a truly elite defender, capable of taking on guards 1-on-1, digging to the nail for help defense and to get into passing lanes, and he can slide up the lineup to defend true forwards. When the Warriors met Holiday and the Pelicans in the playoffs in 2018, it was Holiday defending Kevin Durant.

On offense, he is a capable wingman, an excellent passer and play organizer, a good shooter and a good finisher. He can play off of Curry and run the second unit when Curry and Green sit. His fit on both ends of the court is simply impeccable.

Jonathan Kuminga still has a lot of upside, but it’s hard for him to realize that on this team, stuck behind Green, Wiggins and Looney in the frontcourt. The fit with Paul is intriguing but ultimately fraught with issues. If the Warriors are truly trying to maximize the present, using one of their firsts to add an All-Star playoff performer who fits like a glove is a no-brainer.

Last year did not end the way the Warriors wanted it to, and the league is full of other contending teams. It would be easy for the team to say that “the day is gray and ordinary” but by trading for Jrue Holiday, they could add a player who makes “the sun shine bright” and bring another ring to The Bay.

Grade: A