Jrue Holiday Reportedly Expected to Sign 5-Year Contract with Pelicans

Rival NBA executives reportedly expect the New Orleans Pelicans and Jrue Holiday to reach an agreement on a new five-year contract before the point guard becomes active in free agency.

Marc Stein of ESPN noted Friday there's "growing resignation" around the league the sides will come to a deal before the unrestricted free agent seriously explores other options on the open market.

Holiday averaged 15.4 points, 7.3 assists and 3.9 rebounds across 67 games for the Pelicans last season. He missed the start of the campaign to care for his wife, former United States women's national team soccer player Lauren Holiday, and their newborn baby after she dealt with a brain tumor scare.

In April, the 27-year-old UCLA product admitted he didn't spend much time thinking about his future contract status with free agency looming, per Scott Kushner of the Advocate.

"For the most part, I have just kind of thought about this year," Holiday said. "It's had its ups and downs and I'm blessed and my family is OK, so I'm just trying to come out and do the only thing I can do, which is be positive because everything in my life is going really well."

New Orleans head coach Alvin Gentry told SiriusXM NBA Radio in May that re-signing the point guard was a "No. 1 priority" for the franchise this offseason.

Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated reported the Dallas Mavericks were "serious contenders" to sign him if he hit the open market. Sean Deveney of Sporting News noted the Denver Nuggets are also interested.

Now those teams and any others that might jump into the sweepstakes could be forced to look in a different direction in free agency.

Getting Holiday locked up quickly would allow the Pelicans to spend the rest of the offseason trying to upgrade their wing assets between the point guard and the frontcourt tandem of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins.