Jrue Holiday says it will be ‘cool’ to see Anthony Davis play for his hometown Lakers

For the first time since 2013, Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday won’t suit up for the same team next season. While Holiday played four seasons in Philadelphia without his former New Orleans Pelicans teammate, Davis has only played a single season without Holiday at his side. Suffice to say, things will feel different for both of them next season.

However, just because Davis will be playing for the Los Angeles Lakers next season doesn’t mean he and Holiday can’t still be friends. In fact, the two have spent quite a bit of time together in the offseason, most recently at Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks.

William Guillory of The Athletic recently caught up with Holiday to talk about his summer, the season ahead and, of course, the Davis trade, and Holiday said he was actually happy to see Davis end up in Los Angeles, where Holiday grew up and went to college at UCLA. That being said, he’s eager to take on the challenge of upsetting Davis, James and the Lakers when they first face off on Nov. 27:

Holiday has been enjoying his last few months with Davis before they are forced to finally part ways leading up to the season. But he knows how much animosity there will be surrounding every matchup between the Pelicans and the Lakers next season, and he’s looking forward to it.

“Obviously I grew up a Lakers fan, so it’s cool to see (Davis) go there. But I still want to beat him — hands down,” Holiday said. “It’s going to be different seeing him on the other side because we know each other so well. But he knows when we play (the Lakers), it’s going to be a battle. I’m going to want that win just as badly as he does.”

Holiday and the Pelicans are expected to contend for a playoff spot in the Western Conference with a nice mix of veterans like JJ Redick and Derrick Favors and an exciting group of young players headlined by Zion Williamson and former Lakers Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart.

If the Pelicans exceed expectations over the next two seasons, Holiday could sign a new contract with New Orleans as soon as 2021. If they don’t, there’s at least one team in Los Angeles with a familiar face that will have plenty of money to offer him in free agency.

Imagine a team with Jrue Holiday, Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins?

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