Los Angeles Lakers: 3 Reasons why Jrue Holiday is the perfect 3rd star

The Los Angeles Lakers’ trade for Jrue Holiday:

• The Cleveland Cavaliers receive: SG/SF Danny Green, PF/SF Kyle Kuzma, Quinn Cook’s partially guaranteed contract and a 2020 1st round pick (Via the Los Angeles Lakers)
• The New Orleans Pelicans receive: PF/C Kevin Love
• The Los Angeles Lakers receive: PG Jrue Holiday.

To say that this would be a costly trade for the Los Angeles Lakers is an understatement.

They would effectively be handing over the rest of their remaining assets to land Point Guard Jrue Holiday.

The Cleveland Cavaliers shed Love’s contract which they have tried to move on from for a long time, they get Danny Green who automatically becomes their starting small forward. Green would offer a veteran presence on the team who will not detract from the young players developing.

His ability to shoot the ball from 3-point land and his elite perimeter defense give the Cav’s an extremely solid piece and expiring contract.

Kyle Kuzma gives them Kevin Love lite for $25m less.

Kuzma gives the Cavaliers a potential future All-Star if he can put it all together with the Cavaliers.

The Lakers rightfully kept Kuzma out of trade talks when it came to the Anthony Davis trade but the time is coming when the purple and gold are going to have to pay him and at his current level of play, the Lakers will not do that.

The New Orleans Pelicans get Kevin Love.

With Rookie Phenom Zion Williamson on the team, why would the Pelicans want or need Love?

Love is potentially the perfect mentor for Zion. Kevin Love has won a ring with LeBron, he has won the Olympic Gold medal with Team USA in London and won the FIBA World Championship with Team USA in Turkey in 2010.

He has a wealth of experience at the power forward and center position which Zion can lean heavily upon during his formative early years in the league.

Also, Love can make Zion’s life a lot easier.

Love can grab the rebounds in the paint allowing Zion to get ahead of the defense which means easy buckets for Zion and the Pelicans. Love can also step out to the 3-point line with ease, allowing for Zion to do damage in the paint without clogging it.

The Pelican’s future at the point guard position is Lonzo Ball. At this moment in time, Jrue Holiday is a luxury, and landing a player such as Kevin Love fills a need for the team and they objectively get better.

The Cavaliers get a bunch of assets for a player they don’t even want anymore.

The Lakers get the 3rd star that they have wanted and with players like Avery Bradley, KCP, Alex Caruso, Markieff Morris, Jared Dudley, and Kostas Antetokounmpo to fill the space left by Green and Kuzma. They can also attack the free-agent market hard for a ring chaser who might be able to provide close to the production of Green and Kuz.

So what does Jrue Holiday offer the Lakers?