Will the big man be moved before the deadline?
With the Feb. 9 trade deadline quickly approaching, there will soon be a lot of movement in the NBA. But before it all goes down there will be influx of rumors congesting the countries most dramatic sports league. In an article by Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Sacramento Kings’ center Richaun Holmes was once again mentioned in potential trade discussions.
The surprising Pacers have signaled a willingness to upgrade ahead of the trade deadline — albeit Tyrese Haliburton’s status currently undetermined. Full exploration of Indiana’s power forward pursuit, and other league-wide notes @YahooSports: https://t.co/hdpqqmnoYV
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) January 12, 2023
“Richaun Holmes is available for trade, league sources told Yahoo Sports. After signing a four-year, $46 million deal in the 2021 offseason, Holmes has not been a part of head coach Mike Brown’s rotation this season.”
Finding a consistent and reliable backup center has been a big issue for the Kings all season. There has been an unsteady rotation of Holmes, Chimezie Metu and Trey Lyles getting to tryout for the role. We’ve even seen some experimental minutes from Neemias Queta.
Holmes, who used to be a key player for Sacramento now averages just 9 minutes per game and has only seen the floor in 26 of the Kings’ 40 played games. He is currently averaging just 2.7 points and 2 rebounds on the year. I like Holmes a lot, but he has been the worst of the bunch that’s backing up Domantas Sabonis.
The reason Holmes hasn’t seen minutes isn’t because he is a bad player, he just doesn’t fit the current team needs. He is not a good interior defender and he isn’t a great rebounder either. Both in-part due to him being undersized for a big at just 6-foot-9.
However, Holmes does provide value on offense. He is athletic, has a good touch around the basket and plays with a ton of heart and aggression. An attribute every coach loves to see in their players. With just two years and roughly $25 million left on his contract after this season, Holmes will likely attract a decent amount of suitors looking to add depth to their front court.