SIXERS SWAP HOLIDAY & JACKSON FOR NOEL, PICK
The Philadelphia 76ers acquired the rights to center-power forward Nerlens Noel and a protected/conditional 2014 first-round draft pick from the New Orleans Pelicans for point guard Jrue Holiday and the rights to point guard Pierre Jackson.
What does it give the Philadelphia 76ers
This is a somewhat shocking move by Philadelphia, a team clearly trying to shake things up. It's rare that trading a young All-Star is good for a team, and it's particularly risky here since the player they're getting in return is Noel (who's very thin, offensively-raw, and coming off major surgery to his knee). It's curious Philly would take a chance on Noel considering the nightmarish experience they've had with center {P Andrew Bynum} and his knees. Few point guards in the NBA are as good as Holiday, but Philly management clearly believes he can be replaced by raw-but-talented {P Michael Carter-Williams} (whom the Sixers drafted in Round 1). Getting a first-rounder helps them long-term, but it is protected by New Orleans and can't be any higher than No. 6 next year. The talented Jackson can help Williams at point guard, but neither is a clear-cut ready NBA starter right now.
What does it give the New Orleans Pelicans
It's hard not to see this as a very strong trade for New Orleans. Although next year's draft is expected to be much better than this year's, they won't lose their pick if it lands in the No. 1 to No. 5 range overall. Moreover, Holiday had a true breakthrough last season, making the All-Star team and dominating for stretches. New Orleans now has two above-average point-men (in Holiday and {P Greivis Vasquez}) and Holiday is definitely less risky than Noel. Considering the Pelicans' glut of quality guards, don't be surprised if another big trade happens soon.
Fantasy impact
Holiday is right now the most proven player on a young and talented Pelicans team, so his value should stay the same. Vasquez takes a big fantasy hit, as do second-year combo guard {P Austin Rivers} and sleeper point guard {P Brian Roberts}. This deal also raises questions about {P Eric Gordon}'s role with the Pelicans, although he's probably too good to see much of a drop in minutes. On the Philly side of the trade, Noel is very raw and probably won't see significant playing time until late next season (especially since he's recoving from a major knee injury). Carter-Williams gets a nice boost as a possible starter, but don't expect too much; he is very young. Jackson gets some sleeper value, since he may be more ready to contribute than Carter-Williams.
