Ronald Holland II still has a lane to matter in Detroit, but the clock is ticking.
The Pistons have already made moves to sharpen the roster around Cade Cunningham, adding John Collins, Isaiah Joe, and Taurean Prince to bring more spacing and shooting into the mix. That should make life easier for the offense. It also leaves one obvious opening on the wing: Detroit still doesn’t have a proven shot creator there, and that keeps Holland in the conversation for a real role.
That opportunity comes with pressure attached. The Pistons are a 60-win team trying to push into championship territory, and while Holland himself may not be the one on the chopping block, the team clearly needs to know whether he can be part of the answer. If not, Detroit could end up searching the trade market for a more reliable upgrade.
The case for Holland starts with what he already does well. At 6'8", he brings a slashing style that lets him finish with either power or finesse, and he’s only 21. He hasn’t put together a steady offensive formula yet, but the raw scoring tools are there.
He also brings real value on defense. In 2025-26, Holland ranked in the 91st percentile in perimeter isolation defense, the 73rd percentile in off-ball chaser defense, and the 72nd percentile in defensive positional versatility, per Basketball Index.
On the other end, the strengths and weaknesses are both easy to see. Holland ranked in the 80th percentile in rim shot creation, which is a strong sign for a young wing who can get downhill.
But the finishing hasn’t caught up. He was in the 30th percentile in rim shot making efficiency, and even though he posted the 72nd percentile in overall shot quality, he still ranked in the 25th percentile in true shooting percentage and the 19th percentile in eFG%.
That’s the whole puzzle with Holland right now: he gets to good spots, but the production hasn’t matched the opportunity.
And Detroit needs more than flashes. In 2025-26, Cade Cunningham was the only Piston to average at least 20.0 points per game, and he was one of just two players on the roster to average at least 6.0 drives per contest. That’s the kind of offensive burden that makes a wing creator even more valuable.
So the 2026-27 season becomes a proving ground. If Holland starts turning those clean looks into steady production, the Pistons can keep building with what they have. If not, the front office may decide it has no choice but to find the scoring help elsewhere, even if it means using the minutes Holland is trying to claim.
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Pistons Are About To Gain Two Trade Chips Worth Watching
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Detroit has more immediate business to handle, especially with contract extensions for Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson on the table, but Prince and Harris could become useful chips when the front office starts looking for flexibility. For a team that may need salary-matching help later, those deals give the Pistons another layer of optionality, and the timing of when they can be bundled in a trade will be worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Still Face A Bigger Risk Than The Jalen Duren Standoff
Jalen Durens contract situation remains one of the lingering items on Detroits offseason checklist as camp draws closer, but it is not the only roster issue hovering over the Pistons. The bigger picture is that the front office is still trying to steady its relationship with Duren while keeping the focus on a younger core, rather than jumping into a costly star chase that could reshape the teams future.
That caution looks even more deliberate when measured against the kind of swing-for-the-fences move Detroit passed on with Anthony Davis. Davis is extension-eligible, has not played for the Washington Wizards because of injury concerns, and the Wizards plan to discuss an extension with him during the season, which only adds to the kind of long-term uncertainty Detroit seems intent to avoid right now. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Face A Risky Kyrie Irving Debate That Could Change Everything
A speculative three-team trade idea has put Detroit in the middle of a familiar kind of NBA debate, one where upside and instability sit right next to each other. The proposal would reshape the Pistons roster in a hurry, with the conversation centered on whether adding Kyrie Irving would be worth the cost in depth, rotation balance and future flexibility.
The attraction is obvious for a team looking to accelerate its timeline, especially with another veteran piece in the mix, but the price tag in players and draft capital makes the whole exercise hard to ignore. Even as the idea percolates, the real question for Detroit is not just what it would gain, but how much of its present and future it would be willing to sacrifice to get there. [Read more 🡒]