If the Detroit Pistons intend to bring a secondary scorer into the Motor City this offseason, then the team may have to part with Ron Holland along the way
During the regular season, the Detroit Pistons utilized second-year forward Ron Holland much in the same mold as Ausar Thompson as a lockdown defender on the wing, but his role seemingly vaporized when the playoffs arrived.
At that stage, the Orlando Magic found success by packing the paint in the first round, and the Cleveland Cavaliers ultimately took that blueprint to another more successful level and were able to bounce the Pistons from the postseason. During those two rounds, the Pistons needed three-point shooting in order to force the Magic and Cavs to play more honest defense at the perimeter, and Holland’s 25.3% from long-range did not do the swingman any favors in terms of playing time.
In fact, Holland began racking up DNP after DNP during the playoffs, which is not necessarily a positive indicator for a young player who maintained a steady role during the regular season by logging just under 20 minutes per game. But during crunch time, Detroit needed to spread the floor, and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff felt there were other players who could accomplish that task in Holland’s place.
Given that context, there is a real possibility that Holland could wind up on the trade block this offseason with the Pistons looking to make a big splash that would bring a secondary scorer or lethal three-point shooter (ideally both) to the Motor City. By all accounts, the Pistons intend to hold onto Cade Cunningham, Thompson and Jalen Duren for as long as possible since they’re the foundation of Detroit’s core, but that means rotational players like Holland, Isaiah Stewart or Caris LeVert could be part of a trade package since they have value as players that have contributed to winning basketball.
Last season, Holland averaged just 8.2 points, 4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, but the 6-8 forward was drafted to be a defensive stopper on the other end of the court. And to that effect, Holland was an impactful, turnover-forcing on-ball defender for Detroit all year long. As if facing Thompson’s defense wasn’t enough for opposing playmakers, the Pistons cycled Holland into the mix to keep their defensive pressure at a high from start to finish.
Before hitting the postseason, Holland averaged over one steal per game, so his quick hands and aggressive, physical style of defense paid dividends for Detroit, but the reality is that Holland is a young player on a team-friendly contract (just under $10 million next season), so it is important to gauge his trade value on the market. If the Pistons are set on adding a three-point shooter to the squad, someone like Trey Murphy or Tyler Herro perhaps, then Holland is a name that will inevitably come up during those trade discussions.
For the New Orleans Pelicans, Holland is a defensive-oriented player who could help bring intensity to a team that is loaded with offensive potential if they intend to move off of Murphy. As for the Miami Heat, those same qualities would bring value to an organization that prides itself on culture and playing winning basketball, and Holland understands what it takes to play team-first hoops.
Right now, the 2026 NBA Draft is less than 10 days away, so it will be intriguing to see what type of player the Pistons target at No. 21 overall and how that addition could potentially impact which trade targets Detroit will pursue in the aftermath.
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