Home run or disaster? Grade for Pistons' selection of Ron Holland

Trajan Langdon saw something special in Ron Holland 

Before we freak out about drafting another “non-shooter” consider that we are just off a low-scoring NBA Finals dominated by long wings who can play defense. 

I’d also like to point out that new shooting coach Fred Vinson has a long history of helping players improve their shots, just ask Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado, who all improved under his tutelage. 

The things Holland is already good at are things that can’t be taught, namely his insane athleticism, motor and playmaking with the ball in his hands. He’s more of a wing than a forward, a guy who can create, get downhill and finish. 

If he develops a league-average 3-point shot, we have a potential Jaylen Brown here, as Holland has a non-stop defensive motor and wants to be great on that end. 

Herb Jones was a 28 percent 3-point shooter in college (he was nearly five years older than Holland when drafted btw) who just made first team All-Defense while shooting 41.8 percent from long range after just a couple of years with Fred Vinson. 

If Holland has that kind of improvement, the Pistons could have a two-way star on their hands. At the very least, they have two very athletic wings who can defend all over the floor. 

This team can build its identity around defense and find shooting with the $64 million they have to spend in free agency and trades.

Many experts believe Holland has the most upside of any player in this draft. Langdon clearly wanted a home run on his first pick and knows that two-way wings who can defend are the NBA’s most valuable commodity. 

And if the Pistons had passed on him for a better “fit” and he fulfilled that promise elsewhere, the same fans complaining about this pick would be coming for Langdon’s head. 

Holland isn’t an instant fit and the Pistons didn’t make a massive win-now trade, which has understandably upset some folks (some of you really need anger management), but as far as upside goes, the Pistons swung for the fences and I applaud them for it. 

This pick may score low in the present but I love it for the future. 

Grade: A-