Philadelphia 76ers: Jrue Holiday should become a priority target
The Philadelphia 76ers should look hard at the availability of Jrue Holiday.
It could be time for the Philadelphia 76ers to come full circle. ‘The Process’ was started by Sam Hinkie — a Daryl Morey protégée — when he traded Jrue Holiday to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2013. Now, Morey is in charge of the Sixers’ front office, and Holiday is back on the trade block.
The Sixers are capped out, making the trade market their only path to substantive change next season. While Holiday is expected to command a significant price tag, the 30-year-old is involved in multiple trade conversations, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. It would be uncharacteristic of Morey not to consider such a clear roster upgrade.
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If Philadelphia wants to trade for Holiday, it will not come easy. Several contenders have better assets to offer in a trade. The Sixers’ clearest path to matching salaries is Al Horford, one of the worst contracts in basketball. Philadelphia cannot play it cheap if Holiday is a genuine aspiration.
That said, Holiday is worth a solid investment. He only has one guaranteed year left on his contract, but accepting his $26 million player option for 2021-22 isn’t out of the picture. Holiday won Teammate of the Year last season, is a genuinely great human to have in the locker room, and he helps Philadelphia extensively on the court.
While the Sixers might prefer a new star who shoots a higher volume and higher percentage from 3 than Holiday, it’s not as if Holiday can’t shoot. He hit 35.3 percent of his career-high 5.7 attempts per game last season. The 3-ball is part of his arsenal, and he’s used to playing next to other playmakers in New Orleans.
Offensively, the Sixers would get a major boost in the halfcourt. Holiday can break down defenders in isolation, facilitate out of the pick-and-roll, and generally make quick decisions with the ball in his hand — an underrated attribute in Philadelphia of late. Holiday is a much more affecting glue piece than Josh Richardson or Shake Milton in the backcourt.
On defense, Holiday is among the best at his position. If he manages to join a crew of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Josh Richardson — perennial All-Defense candidates in their own right — it’s a recipe for success. Not to mention Dave Joerger and Dan Burke, two prominent assistant coaches who bring a strong defensive pedigree to Philadelphia’s bench.
Not many hypothetical stars fit better than Holiday. The fact he started his career in Philly — and made his only career All-Star appearance as a Sixer — only makes it more perfect. He has built-in support from the fanbase, and should instantly become a favorite around the organization… again.
If the Sixers can string together Horford, Matisse Thybulle, and the No. 21 pick, it’s an offer the Pelicans might have to consider. That said, the market could quickly exceed anything Philadelphia has to offer. There is also a more complex path to constructing a package around Josh Richardson, but that might require a third team for salary-matching purposes.
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Morey is as creative a basketball mind as there is. If any executive can tip the scales and land Holiday in Philadelphia against the odds, it’s him.