Rockets unsung hero remains player even Houston fans forget about

Over the course of an 82-game NBA season, teams will need to find production from all parts of their rotation, and, so far, the Houston Rockets have found exactly that in veteran guard Aaron Holiday.

According to Bryce Simon, on a recent episode of the Game Theory Podcast, Holiday has been the Rockets' unsung hero so far this season as they've ascended to the upper echelon of the Western Conference, carving out a series of productive outings in the absence of sixth man Tari Eason.

"Aaron Holiday is a guy that I just really appreciate for Houston. I feel like he is a guy that Ime [Udoka] is going to lean into and trust. He defends and makes shots."

Bryce Simon

Aaron Holiday has been excellent in his limited minutes this season

Heading into the season, even despite Houston's overall lack of backcourt depth, it appeared as though Holiday had been surmounted in the pecking order of the rotation by both Reed Sheppard and Josh Okogie. Holiday received five DNPs through his first nine games, and, when he did play, his minutes were mostly confined to garbage time.

Yet, when Eason went down with an oblique injury, Holiday stepped up. Over his past eight games, he has averaged 12 points, one rebound and 1.3 assists while shooting 40.4% from beyond the arc.

He has played north of 20 minutes in each of his last three games, and, the more he plays, the more he looks like, at the very least, a reliable contributor for this team, even receiving time in the final minutes of the team's loss to the Utah Jazz.

While he will never be a major offensive contributor for the Rockets, they don't need him to be. As Simon points out, he is a guy that head coach Ime Udoka can trust to stay ready and give the team valuable minutes when he's called upon.

Will he keep his spot in the rotation upon Eason's return?

In many ways, Holiday was cut out of the rotation at the start of the year as a result of the pure depth with which the Rockets constructed their roster this season.

Yet, when Eason returns, there is still a chance that Holiday continues to carve out a role, even if his minutes become limited again.

Josh Okogie, who claimed the starting shooting guard spot for a solid stretch of games near the start of the season, has begun to struggle offensively, and Udoka could turn to Holiday, who has a more reliable 3-point shot, to take on some of his minutes.

Moreover, with Sheppard set to take on the starting shooting guard role, if not now, at some time in the near future, there will be a gap for a ball-handler and perimeter shooter to help lead the bench unit.

Therefore, Holiday's play, and his opportunity to be on the court on a nightly basis, may not be just confined to this stretch of games. Every team needs rotational guys they can turn to throughout the course of an 82-game season, and Holiday is clearly identifying himself as one of those guys for the Rockets.