Richaun Holmes, Phoenix Suns
Not so long ago, Richaun Holmes was a darling of the NBA’s analytics fanatics. He made some big strides on both ends of the floor in his sophomore season, and captured the imagination of NBA Twitter in the process.
He made significant improvements in almost every advanced stat during his second campaign. His efficiency was promising for a young big man (18.6 PER, 55.8 FG%), and he averaged a block per game along with solid defensive metrics (1.6 Defensive Win Shares, 1.5 Defensive Box Plus-Minus), all while playing for an awful team.
Most of those metrics didn’t change greatly last season, with only a slight decrease across the board. What did change was Holmes’ role – after establishing himself as Joel Embiid‘s backup the previous year, he found himself pushed down the rotation as Philly moved into win-now mode.
Embiid’s good health and outstanding play, coupled with the arrivals of veteran bigs Ersan Ilyasova and Amir Johnson, saw Holmes average just 15.5 minutes in 48 games. Once the season was over, he was shipped to Phoenix for cash considerations, making room on the Sixers roster for 2017 draft pick and fellow big man Jonah Bolden.
On paper, Holmes could be exactly what the Suns need – a solid defensive center that can help to space the floor. While first overall pick Deandre Ayton will start in the middle, he will need a reliable backup.
There are concerns over Ayton’s defense too, which is not unusual for a young player. Holmes could be the perfect security blanket for the Suns, subbing in if Ayton is struggling to contain the opposition big men.
On offense, Holmes is a fairly limited and known quantity. While he has been efficient, shooting over 50 percent from the field every season, he’s a low-usage player who needs others to help him create good looks.
His 3-point shot will be the key to his offensive potential. It was respectable in 2016-17, as he hit 35.1 percent of his shots from deep. Last season, though, that plummeted to 12.9 percent on a lot less attempts.
Shooting is reliant on rhythm, and Holmes didn’t have many chances to find a rhythm with his role last season. If he can find some consistency from outside the arc, he will be a natural fit in Phoenix’s rotation.
Stretch bigs who can protect the rim are hugely valuable in today’s NBA. In theory, Holmes has the skill set to be that kind of a player, which makes him the safest bet of all of these ex-Sixers.
He will be given the opportunity to shine in Phoenix – he just needs to show that he can take it.