I Wrote this piece for Philly.com over the weekend, but didn't get a chance to get it up on Around the Arc until today. Check out the original here.
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"The emergence of Jrue Holiday as an all-star was one of the
lone bright spots for the Sixers this season. His improved play and
increasing assist totals provided some solace during an otherwise
forgettable campaign for the franchise.
While Jrue’s improvement has been impressive, now is no time for him
to become content, as next season will be huge for both Holiday, and the
future of the franchise.
Facing an offseason of extreme uncertainty, the organization’s
confidence in Holiday is clear, as it appears he will be a central piece
in the rebuilding process, which places a big burden on Jrue’s back.
Holiday needs to demonstrate that his initial all-star selection was
not an aberration, and next season is his first step in proving that he
is a perennial all-star-type player. Plenty of players have had a solid
season and been named to an all-star team, only never to return. If the
Sixers hope for a (somewhat) clear forecast in their immediate future,
they had better hope that Holiday’s game continues to expand and that he
can firmly establish himself as one of the League’s premier point
guards.
Another benefit of Holiday’s play this past season was the relative
bargain which it came at. Jrue was paid roughly $2.7 million for the
2012-2013 campaign, making him the second least-paid player out of the
24 all-star selections last season. Only Indiana’s Paul George, another
first time all-star selection who collected $2.6 million, received less contract compensation than Holiday.
That aspect all changes next season, when Holiday’s contract jumps up
to $11 million per for the following four years. This is a substantial
pay increase, and Holiday’s output also needs to increase accordingly.
Paying Holiday the big bucks limits the organization’s opportunity to
pursue other premier players, in effect hindering the amount of help
they can provide Holiday.
While a contract increase is a blessing, it doesn’t come without
burden. With a new coach and what is sure to be a plethora of new
players, the Sixers are going to face some uncertainty next season.
While they may be able to reel in some relief for Jrue this summer, the
job of team leader and floor general will fall to the organization’s
only current all-star, and the way he responds will be critical for the
future of the franchise."
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