Indiana Pacers: Potential trades for the inconsistent Aaron Holiday

Trade #2: The Indiana Pacers get a potential wing/small-lineup big for the future from the Detroit Pistons.

Why would the Indiana Pacers do this trade?

From strictly a skill perspective, Sekou Doumbouya is marginally less skilled than TBJ, but more than makes up for this rawness with his freakish athleticism, motor, and use of his build.

This new-aged 20-year-old big man is a muscular 230 pounds at 6-foot-8 with the next-level speed that makes him an elite fastbreak threat. Detroit is quite honestly a horrendous fit for Sekou, as right now they are 26th in percentage of points via fastbreak as only around 9.5% of their points are coming in this fashion.

Detroit’s players just aren’t the types to run in transition with Sekou, and even worse, they lack players that can routinely hit Sekou on his frequent cuts off-ball with his above-average off-ball movement paired with his elite strength and speed that allow him to frequently gain positioning.

Next to Sabonis, Doubouya’s value in the half-court would be substantial as his rim gravity off and on the ball would be unlocked next to such a potent passer and screener in Domas. Playing with McConnell and Brogdon, Sekou would help an already top 10 team in the percentage of points via fastbreak to even crack the top three as they’d finally have a player with a massive lob radius to throw to thanks to Sekou’s incredible vertical jump and 6-foot-11 wingspan pairing.

His athleticism and nose for the ball meet his hustle on the floor to make him an exponentially fascinating rebounding prospect, and he has real “grab and go” potential thanks to an alright handle. I’m not sure Sekou will ever be a knockdown shooter, but his solid mechanics and a team context with the Pacers could definitely translate into him being an above-average shooter.

Finally, his defense has elite potential. His low stance and impressive lower body strength make him a formidable post defender, and he has the length, lateral quickness, and instincts to switch on wings and guards when needed. He can cover the ridiculous ground needed for rotations and closeouts, and for better or worse he will always contest the rim, even if it results in a foul.

For now, Sekou would make an awesome frontcourt pairing off the pine and be an ideal archetype next to Goga Bitadze. In the future, he could possibly crack the starting lineup or at least be an actively-used sixth man if his shooting fully develops as it can.

So why would Detroit make this trade?

The Pistons crucially need scoring, as they are in the bottom 10 of the league in points per game, and this should come as no surprise when you look at their roster. Jerami Grant has erupted as a scorer, and his development has been legit, but besides him, there isn’t a lot of real scoring on this team thanks to the trading of Derrick Rose and the decline of Blake Griffin.

Moreover, with the season-ending injury for young lottery pick Killian Hayes, the Pistons are also in need of point guard for now and the future. I think Killian will be great and come back just fine, but having young depth at the guard spots is never a bad problem to have.

Adding Aaron Holiday could solve both of these issues, as it will allow them to play Delon Wright less, as well as not have to depend on a Dennis Smith Jr. resurgence that will most likely never happen.

Saben Lee shows flashes, but even if he continues to progress, Aaron’s potential as a combo guard, in theory, shows us that there shouldn’t be any developmental stunting playing both guards together.