The Brooklyn Nets have options this offseason to fortify the small forward spot. Is Justin Holiday a possibility ?
Sean Marks made it clear that he was looking for someone to play the 3-spot in his closing remarks this season. The Brooklyn Nets may someday be a free agent destination. Talk of the culture has free agents giving the Nets a good look.
That doesn’t mean that free agents will be lining up in droves. The team has won a combined 41 games the past two seasons and doesn’t figure to make a jump to the top of the standings. Marks is going to have to overpay role players to improve the team.
That is okay. The team is in no rush to hand out massive salaries to aging veterans. Whoever hands out that maximum deal to Paul Milsap this offseason may regret doing so by the end of the deal.
Instead Marks can sign players to modest deals hoping they grow over the course of it. The Nets lacked athleticism this past season. That could be why Marks is targeting the small forward spot as one that needs improvement. The 3-position is stocked with some of the league’s best athletes.
Athleticism is clearly something Marks wants. He also would likely prefer to sign someone who can shoot the 3-pointer. Perhaps he may even want someone that lock down opposing wings as well. The Nets 29th ranked defense could certainly use all the help it can get.
Justin Holiday may be the answer.
Brooklyn has been on the hunt for undervalued talent since Marks became general manager. He has excelled at picking up unheralded D-Leaguers and turning them into productive rotation pieces. Holiday would actually be one of Marks most accomplished signings since taking over.
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This isn’t a knock on who he has signed so far. Jeremy Lin is clearly the best player the Nets have signed since the new regime was put in place. Trevor Booker was also very productive in Utah in the years prior to coming to Brooklyn.
Holiday just fits the Nets’ current needs perfectly. Signing him would signal that the Nets ae looking to be competitive this coming season.
As we all know, the Nets still owe one more first round pick to the Boston Celtics. They have no reason to lose. Holiday is the perfect balance between staying competitive in the short-term and looking to build the roster up for the long-term.
Holiday is 28-years-old. He is experienced as a five year veteran but does not have too much mileage. He has never played more than 20 minutes per game in his career.
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Luckily that career high of 20 MPG came as a member of the New York Knicks this past season. With all of the turmoil within the Knicks organization, Holiday may want to play for a general manager that won’t badmouth his own players. He also will be able to play in a free-flowing modern offense.
Holiday shot over 50 percent from the field on 2-pointers this past season. He also shot 35 percent from deep. Those are excellent numbers and should earn the Washington product more minutes. He put up just six shots a game off the bench. His numbers may explode if he was given more minutes.
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Holiday isn’t a max-contract player. He likely won’t receive one (although don’t rule out Phil Jackson, who has given them out to worse players) but he is in line for a substantial raise. The Brooklyn Nets would do well to give Holiday a contract similar to what they gave Lin last offseason.
The fit is there. Holiday is an athletic wing who can sure up the perimeter defense and can cause chaos on defense. He can hit 3-pointers with efficiency and finish at the rim. Marks can do a lot worse than to add Justin Holiday to he roster this offseason.