Why the Milwaukee Bucks should explore adding another Holiday brother

Over the past several years, the Milwaukee Bucks have made headlines for having a few sets of brothers paired together on their rosters.

Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo have shared the court for the past three years, and it is set to be four after the latter recently exercised his player option for 2022-23. Another notable duo was Brook Lopez and his twin brother Robin, who played together with the Bucks throughout the 2019-20 season. Family is relatively common with this team, and perhaps the front office should look to keep that trend going this coming offseason by targeting one or even both of Jrue Holiday’s brothers currently in the league. Not only would it be a great story to bring together another set of brothers, but both Justin and Aaron Holiday could patch up some significant holes on this roster.

Why the Milwaukee Bucks should explore adding another Holiday brother

Two of the biggest needs for the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason are more depth on the wing and an upgrade at the backup point guard position.

Justin Holiday could be of use to help lessen Milwaukee’s wing concerns, as the 6-foot-6 veteran is capable of playing the position at a high level. Over the past three seasons, Holiday has posted quality numbers by averaging 9.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and one steal per contest. His most eye-catching stat is perhaps his 3-point shooting, as Holiday has buried 38.2 percent of his triples on 5.8 attempts per game in that same timeframe. The Bucks are always looking to shore up their outside shooting, and adding a marksman like Holiday would fit the billing. Yet, he would also help them on the opposite side of the ball, as the wing is a versatile defender that can guard several different positions when called upon. In short, Holiday is a quality 3-and-D wing that the Bucks would be wise to target as they need help at the position.

As for how the Bucks could acquire Holiday, it would have to be through trade. The swingman is set to make an expiring $6.3 million with the Sacramento Kings next season year after he came aboard via a trade with the Indiana Pacers at the deadline last season. Holiday’s salary is rather affordable from Milwaukee’s perspective in any trade, but it remains to be seen what Sacramento plans to do with the veteran, as it appears they are now looking to add as many win-now pieces as possible to make a playoff push next season. That could mean the Kings want to keep Holiday, but if they are willing to listen to potential trade pitches, the Bucks should at least make an offer, given their current lack of wing depth and Holiday’s easily digestible contract.

In addition to replenishing their wing depth, the Bucks need to explore upgrading in the backcourt. Serving as Milwaukee’s backup point guard this past season, George Hill had a disappointing year by all accounts as he put up some of the worst numbers in his career. Having recently turned 36, Hill’s best days are likely behind him, and with the guard set to make $4 million guaranteed next season, the Bucks should look to move him elsewhere. In theory, while Aaron Holiday is not quite a household name, he could be an upgrade. Throughout his four-year career, Holiday has averaged 7.3 points while shooting 37.3 percent from three, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 18.2 minutes per game. While those numbers do not jump off the page, the 25-year-old has shown promise when he has received legitimate minutes, and perhaps a prominent role off Milwaukee’s bench could be just what the young floor general needs to unearth it.

This offseason, Holiday is set to be a restricted free agent after finishing out the year as a member of the Phoenix Suns. Given that Holiday was not featured heavily in their rotation, it is uncertain whether or not the Suns will look to keep the young guard, as they will have a legitimate shot to do so due to his free agent status. However, if they decide to let him go, the Bucks should make a run at Holiday, as he could undoubtedly be a hidden gem free agent. Holiday likely would not be in the market for a hefty deal on the open market, and bringing him in to serve as a backup to his older brother Jrue would be a low-risk move for Milwaukee if they have the opportunity to do so. Adding the former first round pick would help inject some youth into this roster and give the Bucks a player that could develop into something special in the proper role.

Both Holiday brothers that are currently playing elsewhere would be great additions to the Bucks’ roster this coming offseason. They would help fix some glaring holes that need filling, and the duo is rather realistic to some degree.

Stay tuned to see if the Milwaukee Bucks make a run at Justin or Aaron Holiday this offseason.