2. Not the Cleanest Long-Term Fit With Ingram, Williamson

With Brandon Ingram earning an All-Star nomination, it’s clear he is part of the future along with Zion Williamson. However, having a guard that isn’t an overly reliable pull-up shooter or off-ball threat like Holiday can make the general fit less than stellar.

The early results have been favorable when Holiday, Williamson, and Ingram have shared the floor in a small sample size. However, this has been the case with Williamson mostly being a dirty work specialist that receives the ball as a result of a teammate setting him up, or rebounding a miss.

There will be a time when Williamson should be running pick-and-rolls and isolating at a much higher frequency. Having a guard like Holiday that doesn’t make a strong off-ball impact in favor of more cohesive complementary pieces wouldn’t be advantageous.

The thought process is that moving Holiday now (or in the summer) could land some of the key pieces the Pelicans will need around Williamson when he plays a more hands-on style as a playmaker. Making those changes could enable him to shift towards that style sooner and play through growing pains.

Trading away Holiday would also benefit the complementary role players that could use more opportunities in their development. That’s especially important considering how the Pelicans already have young players in so many positions and have another high first-round pick incoming.