Will Houston Rockets Retain Veteran Guard?

Rockets guard Aaron Holiday will patiently wait to see if Houston will retain him on his contract's team option.

Apr 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets guard Aaron Holiday (0) moves the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets roster next season will potentially have some changes, and that could include Aaron Holiday either on the Rockets or in a new uniform around the NBA.

Heading into his eighth NBA season, Holiday will aim to establish himself as a set rotational player for Houston if his $4.9 million team option is exercised this offseason. However, with the Rockets being so loaded with young wings and other key assets waiting for more opportunity, this could mean Holiday might be on the way out rather than being retained.

Mar 3, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Houston Rockets guard Aaron Holiday (0) gestures to his team during a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

One player that would cut into Holiday's playing time because of the need to be inserted into the lineup is former first-round pick Reed Sheppard. Sheppard, who spent time with both Houston and the team's G League Rio Grande Valley Vipers, has shown some positive traits that he could be ready for larger minutes next season, including spacing, high IQ and the ability to shoot comfortably behind the arc.

Kelly Iko of The Athletic also reported on the potential retention of Aaron Holiday for the Rockets next season, stating.

"A larger chunk of playing time for Sheppard would diminish veteran Aaron Holiday’s role," Iko reported. "Holiday emerged as a trusted option under Udoka over the past two seasons. He has a $4.9 million team option for next season, but the Rockets, who have expressed a desire to retain him, would likely wait and see how the rest of the roster pans out, along with the market, before circling back." It likely seems that Holiday is not considered a top priority compared to some of the other veterans on the roster.

Mar 15, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Aaron Holiday (0) shoots outside against the Chicago Bulls during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The Rockets will certainly be in the hunt for an NBA Superstar this offseason, which could also take away cap space from potential re-signings of certain veterans. Iko also touched on this in his article due to Houston having a few veterans who are looking to return for their competitive team, saying there is a possibility that only veteran minimum contracts would be available.

And while it might not be a juicy contract that some of these veterans can garner from other teams around the league, if they are looking to play for Houston again next season, it may be the best the Rockets can offer.