Pelicans, Holiday being cautious as he nears return to game action

Jrue Holiday's troublesome right leg has caused him to miss a total of 90 games over the past two seasons.

With the 2015-16 regular season set to tip off in under two months, the New Orleans Pelicans point guard says he's still limited by his nagging injury. However, the team's players and coaching staff are cautiously optimistic about the 25-year-old's pending return to the hardwood.

"It's always rehab, a lot of maintenance and doing preventive stuff, so this injury won't come back," Holiday told The Times Picayune's John Reid on Thursday.

"I'm not doing everything that they're doing (in voluntary workouts with his teammates), my time is limited which I think is really good,'' he added. ''I still get a feel for everything that they're doing and the coaching staff. Again, being here and being around the team I feel like is really helping me."

Newly minted Pels bench boss Alvin Gentry is pleased that Holiday was able to participate in voluntary workouts earlier this summer and says the point guard's basketball IQ gives the coaching staff one less thing to worry about in his recovery.

"This is the kind of the situation where we're not worried about the cerebral part of it basketball-wise because he's really great in that department,'' Gentry said of Holiday. ''But we just got to have him healthy and ready to go."

The Pelicans' prudent approach to the UCLA alumnus' comeback may include a minutes restriction in order to ensure his full recovery and a productive Holiday throughout the season.

Gentry recently mentioned that Holiday is expected to be medically cleared in time for the team's training camp.

Should Holiday make a triumphant return according to the team's timeline, it will serve as proof that patience is indeed a virtue.

Holiday, himself, tends to agree. ''Playing smart is definitely the right way to go.''