Kendrick Perkins: Heat should trade for Jrue Holiday

Marc Stein of the New York Times reported Tuesday that New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday is available via trade. Former NBA player Kendrick Perkins said that Pat Riley may want to call Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin.

Stein’s tweet will fuel speculation about a Holiday-to-Miami scenario. The Ringer had touched on such a possibility last week.

For the Heat, the question remains how much the Pelicans will want in return for the two-time All-NBA Defensive Team player. New Orleans will surely want young players, so Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson, Derrick Jones Jr. and Justise Winslow will be part of the conversation. (Miami should look to build around Bam Adebayo, not trade him.)

I’ve already said that it may be too costly for the Heat to trade for Holiday. Miami’s lack of first-round picks in 2021 and 2023 make trading away any of their young players even harder to swallow. If the Heat trade away defenders like Jones Jr. and Winslow, would Miami bank on 2019 second-round pick KZ Okpala — who is currently assigned to the Sioux Falls Skyforce — developing into a quality role player? If the Heat trade Herro and Robinson, who is left on the roster to provide perimeter shooting?

We’ll have to see what other teams are willing to give up for the 29-year-old to decide if the trade makes sense for Miami.