Trade Package No. 3

Pelicans acquire Paul George

Clippers acquire Jrue Holiday, 2020 first round pick

From a pure talent standpoint, George is a better talent than Holiday.

But consider George’s infamous comments in the aftermath of their elimination, when he said they didn’t feel 2020 was a championship or bust season.

As far back as 10 months ago, before the pandemic hit in January, there were already reports of chemistry issues in Los Angeles after the additions of George and Leonard.

For as good as Holiday is on the floor, (19-20 points, 6-7 assists, in 34 minutes per game) he’s also known to be an excellent presence in the locker room. It’s easy to overlook that when you had an opportunity to land Leonard and George last year, but the endeavor wasn’t flawless.

Perhaps Holiday could be the glue that holds the locker room together when times get tough — and they inevitably will at some point. Holiday went to UCLA, so this could also be a homecoming for him.

The Clippers also grab a first round pick, an asset which is currently in short supply for Los Angeles thanks to the George trade from the Thunder.