New Orleans Pelicans: 4 players who need to step up stagnant start

Jrue Holiday isn’t playing like the New Orleans Pelicans’ All-NBA candidate

When the team began its rebuild by trading Anthony Davis and drafting Zion Williamson with the first overall pick, the sentiment from the front office (primarily David Griffin) called on Jrue Holiday to go forward as the team’s centerpiece.

So far, it’s not been a recognizable start from the eleventh-year All-Star. Averaging 14 points, 6.8 assists, with 4 rebounds and missing a pair of games, Holiday hasn’t looked quite like himself.

More concerning is the 36.2% shooting percentage with a 34.8% clip from three-point range. Holiday has been a playmaker in Alvin Gentry’s system, averaging 17.3 points,

Holiday did have a really nice game in the team’s Halloween night win against the Denver Nuggets. In that game, he posted 19 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and shot 3-of-5 from three-point range. It’s the only game where he’s been the All-Star player the Pelicans truly need.

Perhaps it’s going to be about continued development playing next to another understated, yet creative guard in Lonzo Ball. The two are both very interested distributors and are best when finding ways to play off of their teammates.

Jrue Holiday might be one of the players who will be most crucial to the development of this team’s core, especially when it comes to feeding Zion Williamson clean looks upon his return.

Never lacking as a defender, the veteran will at least give the team a focused stopper on the perimeter, playing much bigger than his 6’4″, 205 lbs frame.

Heading into the next stretch of the season, the team simply needs him to play like more of a key point in the offense, as he’s been invisible at times this season.