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Sources: Jrue Holiday to meet with Pelicans at start of free agency

Jrue Holiday has been with New Orleans for four seasons. (AP)
Jrue Holiday has been with New Orleans for four seasons. (AP)

New Orleans guard Jrue Holiday will meet with Pelicans officials at the 12:01 a.m. ET start of free agency on Saturday, league sources told The Vertical.

If Holiday, one of the market’s top unrestricted guards and the Pelicans’ primary summer priority, is unable to reach an agreement on a deal to remain with New Orleans, he intends to take meetings elsewhere in the first 48 hours of free agency, league sources said.

Holiday is a part of a free-agent point guard market that includes New York’s Derrick Rose, Indiana’s Jeff Teague and Utah’s George Hill. Golden State’s Stephen Curry is a free agent, but he’s planning to return to the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

New Orleans has advantages as the incumbent, from an ability to sign Holiday, 27, to a five-year deal, the presence of All-Star Anthony Davis, and the way in which the franchise supported Holiday in his extended absence to start the 2016-17 season to care for his ailing wife and newborn child.

Holiday, a 2013 Eastern Conference All-Star as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, averaged 15.4 points and 7.3 assists per game for the Pelicans last season. He arrived in a trade to New Orleans four years ago and has established himself as one of the organization’s cornerstone players.

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