Reports: Jrue Holiday is likely to re-sign with the New Orleans Pelicans
By Ty Finch
Free agency in the NBA begins this Saturday. Jrue Holiday seems to have decided to stay with the Pelicans already.
Jrue Holiday has been with the New Orleans Pelicans for four years after being traded from the 76ers. In the 2016-17 season, he posted a career high for field goal percentage and had his third best year in terms of assists per game. Holiday is set to become a free agent on Saturday, but the Pelicans seem intent on keeping him.
Holiday is prepared to meet with the Pelicans at 12:01 a.m. to begin contract negotiations. At the end of the season, there was a bit of consternation on if the point guard would commit, but signs now point to him staying.
League sources: Growing resignation among interested teams that New Orleans comes to terms quickly with Jrue Holiday on rich five-year deal
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 30, 2017
Marc Stein also reported that the bond between Jrue Holiday and the Pelicans is tight. New Orleans supported him through complications with his wife and newborn. Jrue’s wife Lauren was dealing with a brain tumor at the time of her pregnancy, and he had to miss the beginning of the season.
Holiday is one of the top point guards in free agency this year. Derrick Rose, Jeff Teague, and George Hill and Kyle Lowry round out the other free agent guards, none of which will likely garnish as much attention. Point guard needy teams will be disappointed in this news. Holiday is an energetic point man who distributes the ball very well. He has earned one all-star spot in his career with the 76ers.
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With free agency looming and moves already being made, this bodes well for the Pelicans. Holiday might not be entirely worth a max deal, but New Orleans needs to work on keeping talent. This is a good start.