Rockets 2023-2024 Season Preview: Aaron Holiday, 3-Point Shooting Specialist?
HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets are entering the 2023-24 campaign with enhanced talent at point guard, and free agent acquisition Aaron Holiday will have a minor part in the improvements.
The Rockets signed Holiday to a one-year deal in July. He is joining Houston after a short stint with the Atlanta Hawks, where he appeared in 63 games and averaged 3.9 points and 1.4 assists in 13.4 minutes played.
The 26-year-old guard is the youngest brother of fellow NBA players Jrue and Justin Holiday. And ahead of his sixth season, Holiday has remained a steady backup point guard option who has shot 37.7 percent from behind the arc throughout his career. During his lone season in Atlanta, he shot 40.9 percent on 3-point field goal attempts.
The 3-point shooting Holiday will bring to Houston helps the Rockets improve their struggles as a team. Kevin Porter Jr. recently took the helm as Houston's best scoring option from behind the arc.
However, due to Porter's recent off-court transgressions, Holiday will be a reliable choice to help fill the Rockets' vacancy.
Holiday shot 43.5 percent on catch-and-shoot triples during the 2022-23 season, which was Porter's best attribute as a 3-point shooter. He shot 43.5 percent in 59 games last season for the Rockets.
He isn't a defensive specialist like his elder brother Jrue in Milwaukee, but Holiday is a skilled defender on the perimeter due to his speed and quickness.
Holiday will play behind Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson. There is a significant chance that minutes will be hard to come by for Holiday at his natural position. But he will likely receive consistent playing time as an off-ball guard within coach Ime Udoka's rotation.
