The Detroit Pistons took plenty of criticism when they selected Ron Holland II with the 5th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, after all, they had just drafted an athletic forward who couldn’t shoot the previous year.
Holland was considered a raw prospect, one of the youngest in the draft, and many questioned whether he would even make the rotation early in his rookie season or if he’d be spending more time in the G-League.
Holland answered those questions quickly, earned a rotation spot, and never lost it. Coach JB Bickerstaff smartly kept Holland in a measured role without putting too much on his plate, and the rookie delivered with a solid season in which he appeared in 81 games and got minutes in the playoffs.
Holland looks ready to build on that success with a solid Summer League where he has usually been the best player on the floor. That’s what you want from your second-year guy, and even though his play has been sloppy at times, Holland is already showing signs of progress.
The Ringer NBA named Holland one of their favorite players of the Summer League and think he’s ready for a big leap after getting meaningful minutes as a rookie.
A bigger role for Holland next season would help the Pistons answer some of their depth questions.
Detroit Pistons: Bigger roles for Jaden Ivey and Ron Holland II
The Pistons lost Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Dennis Schroder, three guys who were key to their run to the playoffs last season and played big minutes.
But they replaced them with arguably better (or at least more versatile) players in Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert.
The biggest additions of all will be the return of Jaden Ivey and an increased role for Ron Holland II.
There will be backup forward minutes up for grabs behind Tobias Harris after the departure of Simone Fontecchio, and we could see Holland seize a much larger role. If he can even hit 3-point shots at an average or near-average rate, Holland already does a lot of things that contribute to winning, especially on the defensive end.
He’s going into summer with a chip on his shoulder, ready to prove he deserves far more than 15 minutes per game.
Holland has looked the part so far in Summer League and hopefully the shooting will translate to next season. With Ivey back, Holland in a bigger role and Ausar Thompson continuing to improve, the Pistons have a chance to be special.