Plugging Jrue Holiday into the New Orleans Pelicans rotation

What should Jrue Holiday's role be in the short term? Would you immediately move him into the starting lineup or ease him into NBA shape off the bench?

Kevin Barrios: Jrue should start immediately. He's the 2nd best player. He isn't battling injury. He needs to learn to play with the guys he's hopefully going to play with all year. He may start off rusty, but he knows AD, Asik and Cunningham. The sooner he starts learning Moore, Jones, Hield and Hill's tendencies the better. We started Orlando Johnson without even a practice. I think Jrue is in a better spot to jump right in.

Chris Cucchiara: The Pelicans should be concerned with managing Jrue's minutes in the short term. Since Jrue will be playing the majority of his minutes with the starters throughout the season, I would like to see him get his limited short term minutes with the starters. Also, for the Pelicans as a team, I think the team will benefit with a combination of Jrue and E'Twaun Moore guarding Damian Lillard and Kemba Walker rather than allowing Frazier to attempt defense unsuccessfully on those two elite guards.

Theodore Danielson: I would immediately put him in the starting lineup and allow him to dominate the pick-and-roll again with AD. Holiday has proven himself as an effective starter and would've obviously started this whole season if he had been here. However, I believe his minutes should be capped at around 25-30 minutes for the first few games in order to acquaint himself with this new roster.

Jamile Dunn: Plug him directly into the starting lineup. Holiday is paid $11 million a year to play basketball. The organization has been exceedingly flexible with Holidays various absences, so the least he can do is show up in great shape and ready to go. If Jrue is out of shape at this point, I would be very disappointed. It's true that nothing gets you in game shape like games, but Holiday is a vet at this point and should know how to get as close to game shape as possible.

In terms of his role, I think the team should start Holiday. Bringing him off the bench just means he and the rest of the rotation have to adjust not once but twice. Just rip the band-aid off and let's go! The Pelicans can't afford a lengthy ramp up so start Jrue and let everyone get use to playing in their long term roles. Ideally Holiday would play about 25 minutes for a say two to three games before removing all limitations. If Tim Frazier can play 30+ minutes hours after signing a 10-day contract, I think Holiday can find it within his being to be full go within a few games.

David Fisher: We remember how well bringing Jrue Holiday off the bench unnecessarily worked out for the Pelicans as a franchise last time, right? While Holiday’s individual numbers were incredible, New Orleans was constantly digging out of a hole created by a substandard starting lineup. Hopefully Alvin Gentry has learned from that experience and will push Holiday directly into the starting lineup.

Even if Jrue’s minutes are limited (say a cap around 30) this weekend, putting the second best player under contract on the court with Anthony Davis accomplishes great things and avoids further unnecessary adjustments later on. Ideally the Pelicans start Jrue Holiday on Friday night.

Oleh Kosel: Jrue Holiday should go ahead and enter the starting lineup on his first day back against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Pelicans can monitor his minutes just as easily as they could in a reserve role, especially with Tim Frazier more than capable of soaking up all remaining minutes. However, the main reason for this move is Anthony Davis. Despite the presence of a superstar, the Pelicans starting lineup (-6.5) and reserve units (-6.4) have nearly identical net ratings. Let's get the Brow some help asap!

Fernando Ritzman: Jrue should start games first game back: he gives you much more defensively then Frazier, can handle the ball just the same, and if his shot isn't falling early, he can still get to the rim. Just to be safe, I’m sure the coaching staff will have him play about 20-25 minutes to start.

Brett David Roberts: There is no working in the second best player and only other All-Star candidate on the roster, not when the team is 2-10. Holiday should start. Now, you don’t go playing him more than 25-30 minutes the first few games, but soon you have to plunge him all the way in.

Jrue Holiday wasn’t injured, is said to be in good shape, and after his winds build up the Pelicans need him to return to Philly-level type of production. This is a guy who put up 17 points and eight assists one season, and he still can. If New Orleans wants to start winning games, his minutes come on quick.