The Sixers are looking long and hard in the mirror after a soul-crushing second round exit in the playoffs. While the potential blockbuster trades suck most of the oxygen out of the room — Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, Kyle Lowry — Daryl Morey and the Sixers will also seek to improve this team around the margins. Philadelphia’s bench was not great last season, and there are multiple avenues to improve it.
In free agency, the Sixers have a $5.9 taxpayer’s mid-level exception to burn. On the trade market, Philadelphia has the 28th pick and an $8.2 million trade exception from the Al Horford deal. One new name has surfaced in the rumor mill on that front: Aaron Holiday.
The fanbase is no doubt familiar with his older brother, who just won a championship.
Sixers rumors tie Aaron Holiday to the franchise. He’s worth considering as a backup guard.
According to Michael Kaskey-Blomain of CBS Sports, the Sixers have expressed interest in the Pacers guard. The 24-year-old Holiday is set to enter his fourth season in the NBA, with career averages of 7.7 points and 1.9 assists in 18.9 minutes per game.
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The Sixers have guard talent on the roster, but frankly, not much. George Hill looked cooked in his time with Philly last season, and Shake Milton is probably not a rotation-level player on a championship team. With Ben Simmons’ future hanging in the balance, there is no shortage of opportunity for another reserve guard.
Almost every mock draft has Philadelphia taking a guard with the 28th pick. Well, if the Sixers were to trade the pick for Aaron Holiday, it would accomplish the same goal. Holiday may not command that price — the Sixers might be able to dangle multiple second-round picks instead — but odds are, no one is drafting the next MVP at 28 (cannot wait to return to this line in a decade).
Holiday’s playing time has been limited in Indiana’s deep backcourt, but he’s a real player. While you will only get so much out of a 6-foot backup guard, Holiday is a career 37.2 percent 3-point shooter and a tough-nosed defender. He can hit some pull-up jumpers and help run the offense with the second unit.
Philadelphia needs to be careful about rostering too many small guards, as both Seth Curry and Tyrese Maxey figure to play a lot next season. Not to mention a player like Kyle Lowry or Damian Lillard, should the Sixers be fortunate enough to add one. Holiday is plenty malleable on offense, but his height takes positional versatility out of the question.
Swapping the 28th pick for Holiday would be a bit of a shoulder-shrug moment, but worse trades have been made. Holiday would get a chance to crack Doc Rivers’ rotation, and he probably won’t command a ridiculous payday when he’s extension-eligible next summer.