Phoenix Suns trade for Philadelphia forward/center Richaun Holmes
Jul 20, 2018, 9:39 AM | Updated: 5:07 pm
Philadelphia 76ers' Richaun Holmes, center, dunks the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Wednesday, April 11, 2018, in Philadelphia. The 76ers won 130-95. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
(AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
The Phoenix Suns have acquired Philadelphia 76ers forward/center Richaun Holmes in exchange for $1 million, the team announced Friday.
The deal was first reported by 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s John Gambadoro.
Over the last two seasons, Holmes has played in 105 games and averaged 8.3 points and 5.0 rebounds over 18.5 minutes per game. He was stuck behind Joel Embiid and Amir Johnson on the depth chart last season.
Even with those limited minutes, the 6-foot-10 Holmes impressed different ESPN analysts. He appeared on the writer’s “10 Things I Like And Don’t Like” list twice in December.
“Some smart team will try to poach Holmes from the Sixers’ overcrowded frontcourt while it’s still overcrowded,” Lowe wrote.
Kevin Arnovitz said he likes Holmes on Bickley & Marotta on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station on Friday.
“It’s nice insurance,” he said. “It’s not a major move, but it demonstrates to me a front office that has good taste in basketball players.”
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Holmes is a career 60.9 percent two-point shooter – last season, he shot 62.4 percent on 4.4 attempts per game.
However, his 3-point shot ranges from inconsistent to non-existent. In 2016-17, he made 35.1 percent of his 1.4 3-point attempts per game. The next year, though, he shot at a 12.9 percent clip and only made four of his 31 attempts.
He’s best using his athleticism at the rim.
“He’s not a pogo-stick, straight up-and-down jumper … Holmes is a glider, zooming across the horizontal plane. Gliders give off the illusion of flying — or at least hovering,” Lowe wrote.
Arnovitz added that the advanced numbers make Holmes look better than his stat sheet. Lowe mentioned the same thing in December, pointing out lineup success in the limited time Holmes and Joel Embiid were on the floor together. By season’s end, the net rating of lineups including the two big men was 23.7, second-best on the team for any pair who saw at least 90 minutes on the court at the same time, according to NBA.com.
Holmes is owed $1.6 million this season.
The Jared Dudley trade on Friday morning opened up cap space for this trade.
He will likely replace center Alan Williams, who was waived on July 2. Williams, who averaged 7.4 points and 6.2 rebounds in 2016-17, missed most of last season due to a torn meniscus. While the Suns still can re-sign him, he would be the fourth center behind rookie Deandre Ayton, veteran Tyson Chandler and Holmes.
With that said, the Suns are looking at options to buy out Chandler, Gambadoro said on the Doug and Wolf show Friday.
Chandler is owed $13.58 million this season.
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