10 eventual free agents who could change the shape of the NBA

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PORTLAND, OREGON – DECEMBER 23: Jrue Holiday #11 of the New Orleans Pelicans dribbles with the ball in the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers during their game at Moda Center on December 23, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

9. Jrue Holiday (2021 player option)

Jrue Holiday has made only one All-Star appearance in his 11 NBA seasons, but don’t let that fool you: He would be an invaluable addition to any contender.

Although Holiday fell short of the MVP-caliber season that New Orleans Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin hoped for, he’s still averaging an impressive 19.6 points on 45.2 percent shooting, 6.9 assists, 4.9 triples, 2.1 treys and 1.7 steals this season. The soon-to-be 30-year-old has the on- and off-ball chops to play at either guard spot, and he’s a dynamic point-of-attack defender, too.

Holiday is an invaluable veteran presence for a young Pelicans team, but he isn’t on the same developmental timeline as Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and the rest of New Orleans’ young core. Regardless of whether the Pelicans begin shopping him before he becomes a free agent, his long-term future likely isn’t down in the Bayou.

Holiday has a $26.3 million player option for the 2021-22 season, so it’s unclear whether he’ll become a free agent next offseason or in 2022. That may largely come down to how the NBA adjusts salary caps over the next few seasons in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Either way, Holiday figures to drastically increase the ceiling of whichever team he signs with next.

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