Could We See a Sixers Reunion This Offseason?

By Kevin McCormick, Sports Talk Philly Editor

Much of the focus around the Sixers currently is changes in coaching and the front office. That being said, readjusting the roster needs to continue to be talked about as well. There are multiple names that the Sixers have been tied to from Buddy Hield to Chris Paul, but all options should be looked into.

Another name that has been brought up is New Orleans Pelicans’ guard Jrue Holiday. This would be a homecoming as Holiday spent his first four years in the NBA as a member of the Sixers.

This potential move was first reported by Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson for heavy.com.

Jrue Holiday is in fact the interest of three teams.

That List includes: Nets, Sixers, Bucks. pic.twitter.com/SSRNMGvZXm

— 👑📍Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson, M.A. (@ScoopB) September 16, 2020

Holiday is one of the best two-way guards in the league and impacts the game in multiple ways on a nightly basis. In 61 games this season, Holiday averaged 19.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.6 SPG, and 0.8 BPG. He checks multiple boxes for the Sixers on both ends of the ball.

One thing we are seeing in the Eastern Conference finals is the emphasis on perimeter play. Adding another elite perimeter defender in Holiday would give the Sixers one of the best all-around defenses in the entire NBA. Between Ben Simmons and Holiday defending on the outside and Embiid protecting the rim, the Sixers would be very tough to score on.

Ball handling and shot creation are two things the Sixers need moving forward. Holiday is the kind of offensive player that isn’t afraid to put the ball on the floor, can create for himself and others, and operates well in the pick-and-roll. Holiday has also worked well sharing the floor with a true point guard, making his ability to play with Ben Simmons a non-issue.

His three-point shooting is not great but is also not a weakness. This past season he shot 35.3% from deep on 5.7 attempts a game. Although that number is slightly under league average, he is more than capable of knocking down shots on the outside. His outside shooting is more effective off the catch. When catching and shooting Holiday shot closer to 37% from three.

Recently I had the chance to speak to a league source about the possibility of the Sixers acquiring Holiday. I was told that there is interest on the Pelican’s side as well as the Sixers. It was also mentioned that there were brief talks between the team about a Holiday trade before the 2019 trade deadline.

Acquiring the 30-year-old Holiday is going to be no small task. He is a former All-Star and multiple time All-Defense player, it is going to take quite the offer to sway the Pelicans. Another aspect of getting this deal done is that Holiday is not a rental. His current deal does not end until the end of the 2021-2022 NBA season.

If Elton Brand can pull off a deal like this it might get him back in the good graces of Philadelphia fans. Holiday would be a good veteran piece that although is not the most ideal complement to Embiid and Simmons, would still play great alongside them. It will be fascinating to see if the Sixers can outbid opposing teams in the trade market.