One of the Pistons' #5 picks has to go, which one should it be?

The Detroit PIstons chose Ron Holland with the 5th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft in a move that drew plenty of praise and criticism.

Are they a long-term fit with the rest of the Pistons roster or is this a sign that Trajan Langdon is starting fresh and isn't tied to any of player he inherited?

With three #5 picks now on the roster, will the Pistons eventually have to choose one?

Great athletes, but poor shooters

As we know, the Pistons have had the 5th pick of the last three NBA drafts. The end result was a compilation of players with overlapping skill sets, as well as nearly identical flaws.

Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, and incoming rookie Ron Holland are all incredible athletes. Unfortunately, the dynamic trio has something else in common: they can’t shoot.

Maybe saying they can’t shoot isn’t entirely fair, and it’ll be fascinating to see if recently hired shooting coach Fred Vinson can help even one of the aforementioned straighten out their shot. It’s crucial that the Pistons put some shooters on the floor, and the development of Ivey, Thompson and Holland will play a key role in which, if any, re-sign with Detroit when it comes time to ink that coveted second NBA contract. The following analysis forecasts who stays and who goes when these three become eligible to make some big money.

It may be now or never for Jaden Ivey

Jaden Ivey brought a breathtaking highlight reel with him when he left the Big Ten for the NBA. His play at Purdue was often spectacular, and many Pistons fans (including me) were thrilled when he fell into our laps in the 2022 draft. His two seasons since have been a roller coaster; but not the fun Cedar Point kind. More like the rickety traveling fair deathtrap on which Monty Williams and Killian Hayes are barfing on everybody.

Despite the ups and downs, it is not too late for Ivey to make good on the promise he entered the league with. For his career, the 6-foot-4 guard is shooting 34.1 percent from downtown which is actually a surprisingly decent statistic if you've ever lived through one of his shooting slumps.

When it gets down to it, Ivey is one of the trickier players to evaluate considering the disastrous experimentation? - for lack of a better word - that former Head Coach Monty Williams indulged in with his backcourt. It's well known around these parts that Monty essentially screwed Ivey out of a year of development.

You can blame Monty, but the bottom line is that Ivey needs to develop a dependable long ball in order to stick in Detroit. The addition of Holland may hasten his departure, as Holland is Langdon's guy and Ivey isn't.

What about Ausar Thompson?