The Detroit Pistons are hoping to find inexpensive depth in Summer League and have two players making their cases, with two others needing to show more.
Detroit has won both Summer League games so far and will look for a third straight today against the Timberwolves. Summer League scores are ultimately meaningless, but it’s good to see a competitive team of guys trying to earn spots.
And the Pistons may have them, at least for random minutes throughout the season, as they lack depth at point guard and power forward and hope to see some of these young players step into bigger roles.
Two of them have shown they are up to the task, but there are others with more to prove.
Ron Holland II
I wouldn’t be surprised if Holland were shut down for the rest of Summer League, as he has already proven himself ahead of the competition, averaging 21.5 points in the two games and usually looking like the best player on the floor as he filled the stat sheet.
Holland had a solid rookie season and has plenty to build on, especially on the defensive end, where he was disruptive. You can’t take too much from small samples in Summer League, but it’s been great to see Holland knocking down 3-point shots (54.5 percent so far) and shooting them without hesitation.
Holland’s form wasn’t bad last season even though he often didn’t get the desired result. It’s something he’s been working on and will continue to work on, and if he can improve on corner 3-point shots, it opens up his offensive game, as he’s already good at attacking the rim.
He was always going to have a bigger role next season, but it’s good to see positive results in areas he needs to improve, even if they must be taken with a grain of salt.
Daniss Jenkins
Jenkins has been solid in both Summer League games, running the offense with a 4.5/1 assist-to- turnover ratio.
There may be third point guard minutes available at some point in the season, and Jenkins looks like a guy who could be a spark off the bench, especially if he can score efficiently and take care of the ball.
He’s a two-way player who may actually play next season, especially if there is an injury, and he’s been solid in Summer League.
Bobi Klintman
The Pistons could have some available minutes at backup power forward, and they would love Klintman to step into that role as a cheap option who can play limited minutes off the bench.
Klintman is obviously skilled and is an underrated passer, but I do have some concerns about his overall athleticism and whether he’s going to be able to get his shot off against NBA competition.
Making plays off the wing and knocking down open 3-point shots will be his ticket to NBA minutes. So far, Klintman has not been strong with the ball and hasn’t knocked down shots, two things you’d hope to see in Summer League action.
Hopefully, he’ll get more opportunities in the final games.
Chaz Lanier
Lanier will have to shoot his way into the rotation, and he has already shown the ability to hit just about every kind of 3-point shot. He’s only hit 33 percent of them so far, but again, this is super small sample size territory that can change quickly.
He’s had the ball in his hands a fair amount so far and has yet to show he can do much with it, but again, if he gets minutes, it will be for his 3-point shooting, not his ability to create. It would be nice to see him go off in one of these games and give the coaching staff a glimpse of what he can offer as a gunner off the bench.