Trajan Langdon was recently on “The Zach Lowe Show” podcast and discussed the Pistons’ offseason and team-building. One interesting topic that came up was the high rate of technical fouls and altercations on the Pistons, especially from Isaiah Stewart and Ron Holland II. Although Langdon said that the team talked to the two feisty players about reducing techs, he seemed to accept that the occasional technical foul is a worthwhile tradeoff for the intensity that those players bring.
Stewart and Holland bring necessary intensity to the Pistons
The Pistons did lead the league in technical fouls last season with 65 among their players. The techs stemmed across the team, with 9 different players receiving at least one and coach JB Bickerstaff even picking up 16 of his own. Stewart led the way among players with 15 technicals. Averaging almost a tech per game can definitely be detrimental to the team, both in the free points given to other teams and the potential ejections/suspensions to players.
But it’s also true that Stewart and Holland, who are often instigators in altercations, play with an energy that the Pistons need. Trajan Langdon said it best: he would rather have players who play with passion and need to be toned down than guys who don't care enough. Stewart and Holland are clearly guys that care a lot about winning, and they inspire others to do the same.
The Pistons' team identity is built on toughness and physicality, which these guys inspire through their persona and play. At times, this is bound to boil over into technical fouls but it helps the team more often than not. Even picking up a technical foul can be a positive at times, if it gets the rest of the team fired up enough to make up for a free point.
In Wednesday's season opener against the Bulls, Stewart and Holland were two of the best Pistons and led the team on a comeback with their defensive intensity and overall passion. This playstyle fits in perfectly with the franchise's storied history. The Pistons have always been at their best as a hard-nosed team willing to beat up their opponents, and continue to hold that reputation thanks to Stewart and his fellow ruffians.
Holland has not had as much time to establish himself as a potential technical foul threat, but he did certainly show hot-headed flashes in his rookie season. He often found himself in the middle of physical altercations, and it was no coincidence. Now in line for a bigger role, Holland will continue to bring toughness and a mean streak to the Pistons' wing rotation.
Stewart and Holland's physical play also makes them great at protecting their teammates. Cade Cunningham may be avoiding some hard hits because the guys behind him are so intimidating. That in itself could be worth the (not so) occasional technical foul.