New Orleans Pelicans: 5 bold predictions for 2017-18 NBA season

4. Jrue Holiday returns to All-Star level of play

The Pelicans made a significant investment this summer by signing Holiday to a five-year, $126 million contract extension. However, last season Holiday indicated for the first time that he may be finally able to remain and stay on the court consistently for the Pelicans moving forward.

Hampered through his first three seasons with the Pelicans due to recurring lower leg injuries, Holiday enjoyed his first consistently healthy season last year in playing 67 games. In fact, 12 of the 15 games he missed came at the beginning of the season due to being beside his wife, who was recovering from a delicate brain operation.

And as Holiday explain recently, he’s more than looking forward to the upcoming season:

"“I’m excited. I’m ready to go. This is one of the first summers (since joining the Pelicans) that I’ve had a chance to really get after it and prepare myself for training camp and a different style of play with different players which are really good players. I’m really excited.”"

The different style of play Holiday refers to is the fact that for the first time in his career, Holiday will be starting the season off the ball as the 2-guard due to the arrival of Reason Rondo. However, Holiday explains that he feels Rondo’s presence could in fact benefit his game:

"“We’ve played together [during the offseason] and its been fun. Obviously, being able to play with somebody of his caliber at the point guard position gives me a chance to shoot a little more and maybe be a little more selfish. Playing with [Rondo], you get like wide open shots. They’re not even contested three-point shots, they’re wide-open shots. That’s what I’m excited for, just getting wide-open shots.”"

In his time on the floor, Holiday averaged 15.4 points, 7.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game last season. His most proficient season prior to this came in 2012-13, when Holiday averaged 17.7 points, 8.0 assists, 4.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game on his way to being named an All-Star.

Just recently, Zach Lowe of ESPN named Holiday as one of his most intriguing players of the upcoming season. In the midst of the piece, Lowe quoted head coach Alvin Gentry’s thoughts on the Holiday situation:

"“The fit with Rondo is going to be much, much better for him. Anyone who doubts the value of Rondo just has to look at the playoffs last year. [The Bulls] dominated with him against Boston.”"

While it’s going to take some time adjusting, Lowe finishes the piece by stating succinctly:

"They are going to need a monster year from Holiday."

So with both player and coach confident in what lies ahead, the performance of Holiday appears to be a large determinant of the Pelicans’ fortunes this season.