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Committing five years and $126 million to good guy and good player Jrue Holiday was, among other things, a signal to DeMarcus Cousins that the New Orleans Pelicans will do what they must to stay competitive in the short term.

The Pels didn't have cap space to replace Holiday with a starting-caliber point guard in free agency. So it was either overpay him, or take a major hit at a key position.

That's a hit New Orleans decided it couldn't afford, possibly because Cousins, a free agent after the 2017-18 season, might not want to stick around if the only other quality talent on the roster were Anthony Davis.

Call it a gut feeling, but the Holiday signing may not be enough to keep Cousins in the end.

Remember, he didn't choose to be in New Orleans. He was traded there by the Sacramento Kings.

Maybe he'll dig the partnership with AD in his first full season. Maybe New Orleans will shock the world and compete for a playoff spot in a Western Conference adding All-Stars by the second.

But if the Pels struggle, as seems more likely, Cousins may make clear his intent to explore free agency. After Kevin Durant, Al Horford, Paul Millsap and so many others did the same, the risk of losing a star for nothing should be at the front of the Pelicans' collective mind.

The urgency to flip Cousins for assets will only rise as the season progresses, the losses mount and bargaining leverage diminishes.

New Orleans will be able to offer him more money than anyone in 2018 free agency, but we've seen several recent examples of that supposed advantage count for little. Durant and Horford turned down more money and longer deals to join new teams. Gordon Hayward just did it, too.

Thinking ahead isn't New Orleans' style, but you'd have to think the possibility of losing a star for nothing would prompt some foresight...and a Cousins trade.