The Sixer Sense
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Jrue Holiday Should Not be Deal Breaker for Sixers

By Josh Wilson

Nov 29, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday (11) controls the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Lakers 105-88. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday (11) controls the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Lakers 105-88. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Philadelphia 76ers are hung up on making a trade, and NBA rumors indicate that Jrue Holiday might be the reason. He can’t hold up a deal.

The Philadelphia 76ers have been heavily involved in plenty of NBA rumors so far this year. With their need to trade a big man, that’s been no shock to anyone. Jahlil Okafor has been the big that has been put on the block, and the Sixers have been involved in plenty of talks with multiple different teams regarding the possibility of moving Okafor.

The most prominent team involved in trade talks with the Sixers is the New Orleans Pelicans. These talks go back to at least last week, and on Saturday, it looked like the Sixers and Pelicans were close, but all of a sudden, a deal seemed to fall off.

There has been no report that the Pelicans and Sixers are completely done talking, but the Sixers sat Okafor on Saturday because of trade talks heating up, and then nothing happened for the next few days.

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Early on in the trade discussion, it was reported that the Sixers wanted to acquire Jrue Holiday as a piece of the deal for Okafor. The Pelicans didn’t want to give him up, and also didn’t agree with the Sixers on where a first-round pick should be protected through (that the Pelicans were looking to include in the trade).

Those two things really seemed to slow down the trade discussion. The first round pick, I can understand, but if Holiday is the hold up on this deal, then that’s not okay. The Sixers should be looking to make a deal with the Pelicans whether or not it includes Holiday.

Backcourt is fairly stuffed

Earlier in the season, the Sixers seemed to need more point guards. Over the past few weeks, however, things have really changed.

Let’s go back to December for just a moment. Sergio Rodriguez is the starting point guard, and he’s doing okay. The surgery required by Jerryd Bayless will keep him out for the season, and T.J. McConnell is not operating well as a backup point guard. Behind them, they’re running shooting guards as point guards, something that they’ve somehow gotten by with, but won’t be able to sustain for a while.

Let’s look at today. A simple flip-flop of roles for McConnell and Rodriguez has made the backcourt  incredibly more effective, and the addition of Chasson Randle allows them to not run shooting guards in the point guard slot.

The only way I can justify trading for a point guard is to waive Randle (despite that he was recently signed) or trade Rodriguez. Otherwise, there’s no need to go out of the way for a point guard at the moment.

Must Read: Sixers Need to Take Trade Action Now

The summer

Jrue Holiday is on an expiring contract, and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. It’s already been reported by several outlets that the Sixers will be looking to make a hard push for Holiday this summer. Holiday already spent a portion of his career in Philly — beginning his career with the Sixers — and looks to be a nice guard to place alongside Ben Simmons.

With the ability to go after Holiday in a completely separate transaction from the Okafor trade, I don’t see why you work hard to include him in this deal when he could potentially walk once the season is done anyway. Trading for expiring players makes sense for teams looking to make deep playoff pushes. It doesn’t make sense for the Sixers, a currently non-competitive playoff team, especially with the extension deadline now past.

The Sixers can best allocate their resources by letting Holiday stay in New Orleans with no contention, and going after him hard in July.

Next: 5 Potential Outcomes of the Jahlil Okafor Situation

Time to move a big

Lastly, the Sixers are desperate. Bryan Colangelo won’t say it, but we can see it, as can everyone. He needs to move a big. The Pelicans are willing to take Okafor, and at this point, anything the Sixers can get for a big is something. The Sixers shouldn’t get hung up on one player — and a player worth much more than Okafor, at that — just to get a “good deal.” I get that Colangelo has stood his ground on getting a good trade, but at this point, accepting no trade is much worse than accepting a bad trade.