The New Orleans Pelicans won their first game of the season on Thursday but they could be getting an even bigger victory soon. According to The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski, point guard Jrue Holiday is nearing a return to the court:
Holiday, 26, is expected to return to practice by Tuesday, league sources told The Vertical.
There are tentative plans for Holiday to return to the Pelicans’ lineup next week and likely make his season debut no later than Nov. 18 against the Portland Trail Blazers, league sources told The Vertical.
There’s an outside chance that Holiday could return Wednesday against the Orlando Magic, sources said. Holiday missed training camp and the start of the regular season and it will take time for him to return to game shape.
This is obviously fantastic news for Jrue and the Pelicans. But it also has implications of much better news.
Holiday was away from the team as his wife, US Women’s soccer star Lauren Holiday, recovered from giving birth and having a benign tumor removed. Holiday’s return likely means that she is recovering as well, if not better, than expected which is obviously great news.
As far as basketball goes, the Pelicans desperately need Jrue Holiday back. With Lance Stephenson injured and waived, the team needs an offensive creator and playmaker which they simply do not have outside of Anthony Davis. Holiday’s presence, whenever that may be, should ease the load on everyone and help the Pelicans gain some sort of footing.
