National Basketball Association

Richaun Holmes Attractive as Trade Piece Around League

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:52 p.m. ET

Fansided, Josh Wilson/FanSided via The Sixer Sense

In recent NBA rumors, Philadelphia 76ers center Richaun Holmes is gathering interest across the league as a potential trade target for teams.

Philadelphia 76ers fans knew coming into 2017 that one of their centers — and perhaps two — were likely to be brought up in plenty of trade rumors around the NBA as the trade deadline in late February approached rapidly.

Fans just didn’t think it would be surrounding Richaun Holmes.

According to Keith Smith, however, sources say that Holmes is on the eyes of plenty NBA teams, and based on what we’ve heard, he may be gathering more interest than the other two big men are.

Quite the plot twist, I would say.

But it doesn’t really help the Sixers to move Holmes, and it’s likely that for that reason, Holmes stays with the team. The issues have been evident this season — the team clearly can not play Jahlil Okafor, Joel Embiid, and Nerlens Noel on the same roster. But the only reason Holmes has gotten any minutes at all this year is because of instances where one of Okafor or Noel is out with injury or out because of a coach’s decision. Holmes doesn’t really contribute to the logjam.

Has Holmes been a player who has had his success hurt by the cluster of big men in the frontcourt? Absolutely, but according to Smith’s report, teams are approaching the Sixers in regards to Holmes with the intention of helping the team deal a center, and although he is a center that they would be moving, it doesn’t solve the issue at hand.

Okafor or Noel are unlikely to be happy nor efficient in a third slot, while Holmes seems to be able to produce with any second of play you give him.

I’m not saying Holmes isn’t worth a trade, he absolutely has proven his value in the NBA as a backup center, but he just doesn’t make sense for the Sixers to trade right now. The value is likely low, and the upside is high. Holmes will be incredibly more valuable as soon as the team gets rid of Okafor or Noel.