For the second season in a row, Ron Holland has seen his role significantly reduced in the playoffs. In his first playoff series as a rookie last season, Holland saw his minutes gradually fall against the Knicks until he was completely out of the rotation by Game 6. He is following the same trajectory this time around, raising eyebrows about his future with the Detroit Pistons.
After playing 11 minutes in Game 1 against Orlando, Holland saw seven minutes of action on Wednesday, not seeing the court in the second half until garbage time. He has taken only three shots in his 18 minutes in the series and scored two points. That remains the biggest issue for the second-year player.
Ron Holland Headed Towards Pistons Exit, Barring Unexpected Turnaround
Holland has not taken a step forward offensively this season. He still doesn't have a place in the half-court offense.
When he stands behind the 3-point line, it allows the defenses to pack the paint and make things harder for the Pistons offense. He can't really be in the dunkers spot either, since the Pistons have better players in that role like Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson. You can't just give Holland the ball and expect him to create opportunities, either, since he doesn't have the playmaking and shot-creation chops yet. He had more turnovers than assists this season, after all.
Therefore, no matter how good he is defensively, it becomes difficult to trust Holland. The 20-year-old can still create chaos with his help defense. This can get Detroit's transition offense going, where Holland can thrive with his athleticism.
At the same time, he tends to foul on that end of the floor. Among perimeter players, Holland had a top-three foul rate in the league, averaging 4.2 fouls per 36 minutes. This hurts the Pistons by getting them in foul trouble and giving the Magic, who otherwise struggle to score, easy points.
Holland seems to be falling out of favor in the rotation. His minutes will be limited the rest of the series and presumably the playoffs. When Bickerstaff needs more energy and defensive intensity, Holland's role can see an uptick. Barring that, however, the second-year player will likely be watching from near the end of the bench.
This creates a fascinating offseason decision for the Pistons. If they come up short of their ultimate goal of making the NBA Finals, there will be pressure for the Pistons to upgrade the roster. Holland will be one of their few young players with some trade value, but aren't necessarily a key part of their team. He could be a good way for them to match salaries in a trade, and along with some draft capital, land the Pistons a difference-maker.
The only way for Holland to avoid this fate would be for him to make an unexpected impact in the rest of the playoffs or for the Pistons to go all the way. Whether either of these will happen remains to be seen.
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