Pro: Shooting Ability
Jrue Holiday has already checked four of the five boxes on the list of what the New York Knicks need from a point guard. He’s a high-level defender who facilitates at an above-average level, takes care of the ball, and has the ability to consistently create his own scoring attempts.
What rounds out Holiday’s value as the star potential point guard of the triangle offense is the fact that he can thrive in an off-ball capacity, as well.
The triangle offense often stations point guards in the corner as floor-spacing assets who flex to the wings in response to the movement of the ball. It’s an awkward situation for ball-dominant players, but those who can check their ego can prosper.
A career 36.6 percent shooter from beyond the arc, Holiday has the necessary proficiency to seamlessly transition from creating one possession to playing off-ball on the next.
Despite missing 15 games in 2016-17, Holiday converted 100 3-point field goals—his fourth season with at least 80 3-point field goals made. Holiday pulled up for 2.9 of his 4.1 3-point field goal attempts per game in 2016-17, but he’s a skilled player who has the work ethic to adjust.
The triangle offense isn’t appealing to all point guards, but if Holiday is given more freedom in the way he roams the floor, he could be a prime Chauncey Billups type of star for New York.
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The pros and cons will both weigh heavily on the New York Knicks, but Phil Jackson would be wise to make a run at Jrue Holiday if he can’t find his franchise point guard in the 2017 NBA Draft.