Aaron Holiday was one of the Rockets’ best offseason additions this past season.
After playing with four teams before signing with the Houston Rockets as a free agent, Aaron Holiday wasn’t expected to play a significant role on the team this season. That was the benefit of having a veteran like Holiday on the team. He knew his role and had no problem not always being in the rotation.
Going all the way back to training camp, Holiday told us during his media interview that his main goal was to “teach the young guys” even though, at the time, he was only 27 but still felt like he could take on a leadership role. He spoke a lot about ensuring guys were in the right spot, and it didn’t take long for him to step into a more prominent role.
2023-2024 Season
As I stated earlier, Holiday wasn’t expected to play a major role on the team with the drafting of Amen Thompson and the free agent signing of Fred VanVleet. That changed, however, five games into the season, as Thompson suffered an early-season injury that kept him out for 15 games. Holiday took over the backup point guard role and went from a couple of DNPs to 20-plus minutes a game.
During Thompson’s injury list, Holiday had several strong games, including a 22-point game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, in which he helped the Rockets secure the win. Throughout the season, Holiday turned into one of the Rockets’ most reliable three-point shooters, shooting 38.7 percent from beyond the arc, which tied him for first on the team with VanVleet.
Holiday also played solid defense all season and could play either guard position. When Thompson came back, Holiday was able to move over to backup shooting guard. Having Holiday play point or shooting guard was invaluable to a team that suffered significant injuries throughout the season. Holiday would go on to play in 78 of the 82 games, averaging 6.6 points, shooting 44.6 from the field, and 38.7 percent from deep.
2024-2025 Season
Holiday was only signed for a one-year, $2.3 million deal and will be a free agent this coming offseason. The Rockets finished the season 41-41, which was a 19-game improvement from the previous season. Even though Holiday wasn’t expected to be a big part of the team, he was able to step in at different times throughout the season.
If Holiday is willing to return at a reasonable salary, the Rockets should do whatever they can to bring him back. Holiday is the perfect veteran to have on your team. He can step in and play significant minutes in an emergency and positively influence the locker room. Considering what he was brought in to do before the season, Aaron Holiday was one of the best additions to the Rockets this season.