Everything is down with Aaron Holiday, the Indiana Pacers' first-round draft pick in 2018: His points, shooting, assisting, rebounding and minutes.
A trade target since his rookie season, the 6-1 guard could be in another uniform by Thursday's trade deadline or by the NBA draft.
That's what many around Holiday, league sources with knowledge of the situation, tell IndyStar, are hoping to see. That also depends on what the Pacers are able to get for him as his role has quickly diminished under coach Nate Bjorkgren. To continue to let him sit likely would depress his value.
T.J. McConnell was signed in the summer of 2019 to be a third ballhandling guard, behind starter Malcolm Brogdon and Holiday.
McConnell split that role with Holiday in 2019-20 under Nate McMillan, who gradually leaned on McConnell more as the season went on. Holiday was better with the first five when the team dealt with injuries so he made 33 starts. McConnell was better with the second unit.
Holiday has started 6 times this season, playing between 11-28 minutes through his first 33 games.
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A few games before the All-Star break his time plummeted. He registered his first DNP-coach's decision in Sunday's win at the Miami Heat. He played only 3 minutes in the blowout of Miami on Friday. The 17 minutes he played vs. Milwaukee on Monday happened because the Pacers were out of it by the opening tip.
Despite McConnell proving to be the better fit, there's more interest surrounding Holiday in the market because of his 3-point shooting. He's down to 33% this season, but last season he was at 39.4%. He's more athletic. He's not mid-range shot reliant like McConnell.
When the Pacers aren't rebounding well — a frequent occurrence — Holiday is the one who consistently boxes out no matter how big the opposing player. He doesn't shy away from contact. He's prone to scoring outbursts such as his rookie year when, in just his sixth appearance, he scored 12 points in 15 minutes to pull out a close game with Atlanta.
Holiday hasn't been the playmaker McConnell is. Since he was drafted 23rd overall in 2018, however, Holiday has had to make a lot of sacrifices under McMillan and Bjorkgren. He's taken off the ball and has to defend big 2 guards and sometimes even wings.
In a recent loss to Brooklyn, Holiday had to chase 6-6 Joe Harris when the Pacers went to a 3-guard lineup. Even when he made the correct defensive action, he couldn't bother Harris' shot. Bjorkgren has made Edmond Sumner a 6-6 guard/wing a rotation player which has chewed into Holiday's playing time, too. The 6-5 Jeremy Lamb can be a defensive liability but he's a more consistent scorer who can finish better over big defenders.
McConnell is a free agent this offseason and will be a top priority for the Pacers. If they keep McConnell, Holiday does not want to go through another season like this. The 2021-22 season is the final season of his rookie scale deal and that option already has been picked up.
The priority for him from the beginning has been playing time. As a rookie he was close to being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies as a rookie for Mike Conley, but ownership nixed the transaction. The N.Y. Knicks, who recently acquired Derrick Rose, had a strong interest in him. So did the Phoenix Suns before last season. IndyStar reported all of these at the time.
Doug McDermott, whom the Pacers have shopped multiple times, is on an expiring deal and in high demand. He's expected to cost a lot to retain on the open market as he's having the best season of his career. He already has had 8 games of 20 points or more for Indiana. He's shooting 37.1% from 3 but averaging career-highs of 13.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and converting 63.1% of his shots from 2. Most of those 2s are on rim attacks as defenses overplay to limit the long ball.
The Pacers have needed a 4 who can defend other 4s and quicker/faster wings on the perimeter ever since letting go of Thad Young and starting two bigs, Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis.
Those kind of 4s, especially ones who can score themselves, are hard to find but that has been their target area for two seasons. If there's one to be had, they'd aggressively pursue it.
That's a lot of ifs. Other moves around the league can occur in the next 24 hours and cause a trickle-down, which is how Caris LeVert unexpectedly came available in January.
That's typical at the deadline, too. And even if Holiday doesn't go anywhere Thursday, his status will be in question when the window reopens.
Follow Pacers insider J.Michael on Twitter @ThisIsJMichael
The Link LonkMarch 25, 2021 at 02:54AM
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Indiana Pacers have to figure out what to do with Aaron Holiday at NBA trade deadline - IndyStar
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