The Detroit Pistons had an impressive comeback win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday. In the first game of the season, the Pistons got off to a slow start, and their defense looked out of sorts. But they hit their stride in the second half, hit a ton of shots, and got unexpected production from Javonte Green and Duncan Robinson to get their first victory of the season.
While it was great to see the usual Pistons grit, there were a few things that raised eyebrows in Detroit. One of those was Ron Holland.
Ron Holland's struggles led JB Bickerstaff to give up on him in the season opener
It took Holland three minutes to frustrate head coach JB Bickerstaff and get benched. Despite having a very nice stop on a defensive possession against Payton Pritchard, the third-year forward had two bad fouls, one offensive and the other defensive. After a foul on Pritchard, Bickerstaff was seen furious with Holland.
After Holland's three-minute stint at the end of the first quarter, he never entered the game again.
This performance came on the heels of the Pistons picking up Holland's fourth-year team option. Spotrac's Keith Smith reported earlier in the day that the Pistons exercised the option and would keep him on their books for $11.5 million in the 2027-28 season.
This obviously doesn't mean that Holland will stay with the team throughout the duration of that deal. If his inconsistencies and mistakes continue, the Pistons will have no choice but to explore trading him.
Holland has shown a ton of defensive flashes in his NBA career, but his offensive development has left plenty to be desired. And defensively, he is not consistent enough.
That is why the Pistons should have already considered trading him in the offseason. On a team with limited shooting, it's very hard to find room for a non-shooter perimeter player like Holland. The Pistons already have Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson in their core; a third non-shooter was always going to be hard to fit.
The Pistons are title contenders this season. They simply don't have the developmental minutes to give Holland. They have one of the best benches in the league. If Holland isn't performing, Bickerstaff has a ton of options on the wing. Tuesday was evidence that Bickerstaff won't be afraid to pull Holland from the game.
If the Celtics game is a sign of what's to come from Holland this season, the Pistons may end up regretting not only holding onto Holland, but also picking up his fourth-year option.
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