Over the last several seasons, the biggest positional question the Detroit Pistons have had is at the backup power forward position.
Last year, they didn’t have a true four behind Tobias Harris, and used a combination of Ron Holland, Ausar Thompson and Javonte Green in that spot, all guys who can guard up and hold their own.
This year, Taurean Prince has been thrown into the mix, a player who has been more of a traditional four in his career and gives the Pistons an option who shoots over 40 percent from long range.
In the first preseason game, it was Holland who got the call, as he led the team in minutes and points, creating a ton of chaos and filling the scorecard even though he shot the ball poorly.
Prince and Green were limited to just 11 minutes and 13 minutes, respectively, so it would appear that Holland has the early advantage, but the truth is that the Pistons are going to use them all.
The Pistons have better options at power forward
Holland and Prince are very different players that offer different skillsets for varying situations.
Prince brings shooting and experience and a guy who is a proven threat from beyond the arc, especially from the corner spot.
Holland isn’t a 3-point threat (yet) but brings relentless energy and hustle, better rebounding, and a guy who thrives in transition.
One player mostly stands in the corner waiting for kick outs, and the other is a whirling dervish who touches every inch of the court for better or worse.
You can see how either skillset would be useful in different situations, Prince for when the Pistons need a bucket and want to spread the floor, Holland for when they want an injection of energy and defense in the second unit.
I’ve written about the Pistons’ depth and how it can be a weapon, especially in the regular season when they can use their deep bench to try and run teams off the floor.
But it’s also a tactical advantage to have players who do different things well, so it will be up to coach JB Bickerstaff to figure out how best to deploy them for situational advantages.
It’s Holland’s spot to lose, but it won’t be given to him
Holland will likely get the early chance to cement himself as the go-to forward off the bench, but if he doesn’t, Bickerstaff won’t hesitate to go with the veterans.
This is a critical season for Holland, as he has to show some offensive development or could find himself included in a deadline trade, so we can write off the preseason and early games, but they are important for Holland.
He’ll be under more pressure this season because of it, also because coach Bickerstaff has better veteran options to turn to than he did last season.
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