When the Detroit Pistons drafted Ron Holland II with the 5th pick in the draft, they dreamed of a day when he and Ausar Thompson would be the starting wings.
The problem is that thus far, neither of them can shoot, so even though they are team’s best defenders, it’s practically impossible for them to share the court.
That could change of course, as Holland and Thompson are both young and far from finished products, but given their overlap in skillsets, the clock started ticking as soon as the Pistons called Holland’s name.
Will Ron Holland II get a real opportunity on the Pistons?
If Holland had been drafted by a different team, who knows, we may have a completely different view of him, but he was drafted by the Pistons, a team that happened to unexpectedly make the playoffs in Holland’s rookie season.
In his second year, the Pistons were the best team in the Eastern Conference, so Detroit hasn’t had the luxury of infinite developmental minutes with Holland, as they are trying to win games.
Holland hasn’t been asked to or allowed to do much offensively in his young career, mostly because he lacks the requisite consistency, but you could also argue that his lack of opportunity has held him back.
I always think it’s better for young players to go to good teams so that they learn good habits and have to earn their way into the league, but that’s not the case with most top five picks, who are allowed more impunity to make errors on bad teams.
The Pistons have several veteran bench players with more defined roles than Holland has right now, so if he doesn’t show the offensive improvement they need, coach JB Bickerstaff has options in Taurean Prince and Javonte Green.
I love watching Holland play, and hope his development comes with the Pistons, but his minutes won’t be given to him, and if things aren’t going as expected, his name is going to be all over the rumor mill.
The Pistons, Ron Holland and the trade deadline
Given his potential and age, teams could look at Holland as a high-end project who needs time to develop, so my guess is that Holland will be included in just about every fake trade once the new year rolls around.
The Pistons also have until the end of October to exercise his team option for next season, which I am sure they will, but if he hasn’t earned a more defined role, they will have to ask themselves whether they want to extend him next summer or use his deal as part of a bigger trade.
Ron Holland may have more at stake than any Pistons player this season, and if they can’t count him to be part of the playoff rotation, he may not be in Detroit for the postseason.
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