Ron Holland II is running out of time to simply be a project.
The Pistons forward is heading into what the piece describes as a critical third season, and the early read on him is already underway. Fans are watching closely for progress as a shooter and as a ball-handler, and through three preseason games, the results have been uneven. Holland has hit 44 percent of his shots and just 16 percent of his 3-pointers, though that comes in a tiny sample where one hot stretch could change the numbers fast.
Even with the jump shot still a work in progress, Holland has found other ways to help. He has averaged 10 points per game in the preseason, and the scoring has come through pressure and effort plays rather than perimeter shot-making.
A big part of that has been his trips to the foul line. Holland is averaging 4.3 free-throw attempts per game, more than double last season’s rate. That matters because he shot 80 percent at the line a year ago, so getting downhill and drawing contact gives him a reliable path to points.
He’s also making noise on the offensive glass. After collecting two more offensive rebounds last night in just 15 minutes, Holland is up to 2.3 offensive rebounds per game in the preseason, again more than double his average from last season. He appears to be making that side of the floor a priority, crashing hard and turning extra possessions into production.
The shooting improvement everyone wants to see still hasn’t arrived, but Holland is showing there are other ways to matter on offense.
And the pressure around him isn’t just about preseason form. The Pistons have until the end of the month to exercise his team option, and while the expectation is that they will, it’s not a simple call. His salary would jump to $11.5 million next season.
The larger reality is that Detroit is no longer treating development as an endless holding pattern. The piece points to recent examples like Rob Dillingham and Zaccharie Risacher, high draft picks who have already been traded, and in Dillingham’s case may not even be in the league.
That leaves Holland with another hurdle after the option decision: the trade deadline. As things stand, he’s one of the players the Pistons could consider moving if they decide to chase star power for a playoff push.
It may not be a fair spot for a young player, but that’s where the situation sits. Detroit wants to win now, and Holland won’t have unlimited runway.
If he wants to stay in the picture, he needs to lock down a meaningful rotation role early. Otherwise, he may not finish the season in Detroit.
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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 🡒]
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Paul Reed Faces A Big Pistons Test Isaiah Stewart Never Did
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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 🡒]