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Knicks Rumors: Pros, Cons Of Pursuing Jrue Holiday In Free Agency

By Maxwell Ogden

Dec 30, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday (11) shoots over New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Knicks 104-92. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday (11) shoots over New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Knicks 104-92. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 26, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday (11) drives to the net in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. The Pelicans won 115-90. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 26, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday (11) drives to the net in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. The Pelicans won 115-90. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

Con: Cost

When Jrue Holiday hits the open market, he’ll have a realistic opportunity to receive a max contract. Whether or not you believe he deserves one, Holiday will be a 27-year-old unrestricted free agent, thus giving him a rare combination of youth, defensive ability, and offensive versatility.

With the New York Knicks projected to have no more than $19 million in cap space under the current estimates, Holiday may fall out of Phil Jackson’s price range.

Per Ian Begley of ESPN New York, the Knicks could reach the $19 million figure if they were to renounce all of their cap holds. That would include renouncing the hold New York has for Justin Holiday—Jrue Holiday’s older brother and one of New York’s primary selling points.

The Knicks could clear an additional $5,328,752 by trading Carmelo Anthony for the minimum salary compensation, but even that would leave New York below the projected $24 million that Holiday could command in Year 1.

If Holiday were willing to take a slight discount—or his market value were to dip below $20 million—New York could make this work. It could conceivably sign the former All-Star and then go over the cap to re-sign his brother, who was a workhorse for New York in 2016-17.

The odds simply aren’t in the Knicks’ favor as they attempt to convince Holiday to leave Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins.

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