Despite being swept by the Boston Celtics in the 2020 Playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers remain hesitant to break up their young superstar duo of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Instead of immediately giving up on their franchise cornerstones, the Sixers are expected to continue finding ways to build a roster around Simmons and Embiid that could legitimately conquer the Eastern Conference and bring the Larry O’Brien Trophy to the City of Brotherly Love. In the past months, the Sixers have been linked to several players who are expected to be available on the trading block in the 2020 offseason, including veteran shooting guard Jrue Holiday of the New Orleans Pelicans.
With their need for another shot creator and playmaker, Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire believes that the Sixers should strongly consider bringing Holiday back to the City of Brotherly Love this fall.
“Holiday is a guy a lot of Sixers fans are familiar with as he began his career with the team back in 2009 and he was an All-Star in 2013. The Pelicans may be willing to part ways with him as they move forward with their younger guys on the roster. If the Sixers can’t nab Hield or Paul, they should turn their attention to Holiday and try and bring him back. He is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, he can shoot the ball, and he can handle the ball. Philadelphia would love to have a guy with his skillset back here.”
Holiday may not be in the same league as Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, but he could help the Sixers become a more competitive team in the Eastern Conference in the 2020-21 NBA season. Holiday is still in his prime and could make large contributions for the Sixers on both ends of the floor, giving them a very reliable third-scoring option, playmaker, rebounder, perimeter defender, and floor-spacer.
This season, the 30-year-old floor general averaged 19.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.6 steals while shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN . Though he naturally plays as a point guard, Holiday wouldn’t have a problem sharing the court with a ball-dominant superstar like Simmons. He could efficiently play as a shooting guard and become productive on the court even without the ball in his hands.
Holiday has not given any strong indication that he’s no longer happy in New Orleans, but he will definitely be intrigued by the idea of playing for the team that selected him as the No. 17 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft again. Compared to the Pelicans, Holiday could have a better chance of winning his first championship ring by joining forces with Simmons and Embiid next year.