The Pistons are staring at the same hard question that’s already tripped up a few recent lottery picks: how long do you wait before deciding a young player is worth the money?
Ron Holland II is next up in that conversation. If he doesn’t lock himself in by his third season, Detroit will have to weigh a looming team option that rises to $11.5 million. That kind of number can turn risky fast when a player still hasn’t proven enough to justify it.
Around the league, patience is thinning out. Rob Dillingham, the former No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft, was moved around to multiple teams before his third season and is now out of a job.
He landed with a contender that needed immediate help and didn’t have the luxury of letting him learn on the fly. Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 pick in that same draft, has also already been relocated after a rough start.
That’s the backdrop for Holland in Detroit. The issue isn’t whether teams still believe in talent. It’s whether they want to commit real second-contract money to a player who hasn’t clearly earned it yet.
In the old model, those decisions were often easy. Teams took the gamble, paid the player, and hoped the upside showed up. That calculation is changing in the tax apron era, where clubs are hunting for affordable production and are far less willing to bet on maybe.
Holland fits that shift neatly. The Pistons could look at next year’s draft and find someone who gives them a similar impact on a cheaper rookie deal. They could also go the veteran route and lean on someone like Javonte Green, who brings consistency at a fraction of Holland’s current cost.
That’s the squeeze young players are feeling now. Teams are increasingly cycling through rookies and minimum-salary veterans to keep expenses down, and that makes life harder for third- and fourth-year players trying to land second contracts. The same pressure is hitting middle-tier veterans in similar salary ranges.
Holland will get his chance to make his case. But Detroit may eventually decide that his upside isn’t worth paying $11.5 million for. For players still trying to develop, the clock is ticking faster than it used to.
In Other News...
Pistons May Have Found The Identity That Keeps This Team Rising
The Pistons spent the summer reinforcing the part of the roster that already gave them a clear edge, bringing in John Collins in free agency and keeping Jalen Duren in the fold. On paper, the fit is pretty straightforward: Collins at power forward, Duren at center, with both expected to help Detroit stay physical around the rim and give the offense extra chances on the glass.
Rebounding has already been a calling card for this team, and the idea here is less about starting over than doubling down on what works. If Collins and Duren can form the kind of frontcourt pairing Detroit envisioned, the Pistons may not just preserve that strength from last season, but turn it into one of the identity pieces that keeps the group moving up the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Kept Austin Reaves Away From A Team Desperate For Help
Detroits front office spent much of the offseason chasing ways to speed up its rebuild, and Austin Reaves was firmly on that radar before he chose to stay with the Lakers. The Pistons have already made some important commitments of their own, extending Ausar Thompson on a five-year contract and re-signing Jalen Duren after contract negotiations, but their interest in bigger names shows how aggressively they are looking to add talent around that young core.
The pursuit did not stop with Reaves, either. Detroit reportedly checked in on trade possibilities for Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant as it keeps searching for a move that can raise the ceiling of the roster, and the sense is the Pistons will keep pressing on major targets as they build for the future. For a team that has spent years trying to escape the leagues bottom tier, the willingness to keep swinging is becoming part of the identity. [Read more 🡒]
Paul Reed Faces A Big Pistons Test Isaiah Stewart Never Did
The Pistons are asking Paul Reed to step into a bigger lane after moving on from Isaiah Stewart, and the appeal is easy to see. Reed has already shown he can make an impact on the defensive end with steals and blocks, while also giving Detroit more offensive versatility than Stewart typically did. For a team that values energy and versatility in its frontcourt, that makes Reed a compelling fit on paper.
What remains to be seen is whether the bigger workload can hold up once the minutes start stacking up. Reeds expanded role will be a real test of consistency, because the Pistons need more than flashes from him - they need steady production and reliable contributions over time. If he can sustain what he has shown, Detroits move away from Stewart could look a lot more worthwhile. [Read more 🡒]