Report: Knicks to target Pelicans' Holiday in free agency

The New York Knicks may be searching for a new starting point guard when free agency opens this summer.

While he's likely to receive plenty of interest, the Knicks view New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday as a target in free agency, league sources told ESPN's Ian Begley.

Knicks president Phil Jackson reportedly had interest in landing Holiday last season, before acquiring Derrick Rose from the Chicago Bulls.

Holiday is in the midst of a solid season for the Pelicans, averaging 15.9 points, 7.4 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals on 45.7 percent shooting. While the 26-year-old has his flaws, he'd be an immediate upgrade over Rose on the defensive end of the floor, helping to improve the Knicks' 24th-ranked defensive rating.

Should New York choose to part ways with Rose, they'd have approximately $24 million in cap space, giving them more than enough room to sign Holiday to a long-term deal.

Reports earlier this season indicated that the Philadelphia 76ers were strongly considering signing Holiday this summer, potentially reuniting with a player who spent the first four seasons of his career in The City of Brotherly Love.