Indiana Pacers: Ranking 3 best candidates to replace TJ Warren in the starting 5

Justin Holiday, the Indiana Pacers’ resident 3-and-D veteran, is a tried and tested option to replace TJ Warren

The easy answer to replace TJ Warren in the starting five, to put it simply, is Justin Holiday. While he is not better than Duarte from a physical standpoint, he is loaded with experience and smarts as a low-usage, defensive wing with a much improved three-point stroke. Better yet, he’s one of the league’s most invincible players, almost never missing a game.

However, the thing holding Holiday back from easily clinching the starting role is his acuity with the bench unit. The departure of Doug McDermott in free agency makes his spot on the bench even more pressing, especially with him being the Pacers’ lone reliable motion three-point shooter, a necessity in the second unit’s up-tempo and motion offense.

Still, if Rick Carlisle opts for the safest route, inserting Justin Holiday in the starting lineup to hold down the fort until TJ Warren returns will always be a good choice, though his more paramount importance in the bench unit may make him second fiddle as to who’s best equipped to assume the starting role.