Pompey: Holmes Has Proven That He Can Be a Valuable Backup

When the Sixers traded Nerlens Noel, it freed up the logjam at Center and with Joel Embiid ruled out for the rest of the season, the responsibility is on Richaun Holmes to step up and be the primary backup at Center.  In the four games since Noel was traded, Holmes is averaging 12.5 Points, 2.8 Blocks, and 5.5 Rebounds in 23.9 Minutes Per Game.  Holmes, who was a 2nd round pick of the 76ers in the 2015 NBA Draft, has shown this season he more then just a serviceable backup NBA Big Man, he is also an energy guy who plays with intensity on both ends of the court.

Philadelphia Inquirer Sixers Beat Reporter Keith Pompey joined The Sports Bash on Friday and gave his perspective on Holmes:

"Richaun Holmes is a quality player, he’s a good player; I’m not going to say he made (Nerlens) Noel expendable because you think back to Noel there is a reason why the Dallas Mavericks want to make him a starter, they want to give him a lot money.  But what I will say is Richaun Holmes has proven that he can be a valuable backup for Joel Embiid, he does a lot of things.  Now the only thing is, the difference between Richaun Holmes, and a Okafor, a Embiid, and a Nerlens Noel is that opposing teams game plan for them....So right now Richaun Holmes is getting certain looks because the people aren’t focusing on him. I want to see what he can do when teams start game planning for him, like if he was the starting center on a nightly basis what could he do? But right now, as a backup, I am very pleased on what I see.”

Hear what Pompey had to say about Jahlil Okafor's comments about his lack of defensive effort, how the Sixers are handling Joel Embiid injury and more Sixers Talk