Trajan Langdon hinted that the Detroit Pistons would trade their first-round pick in 2024. It turns out their best option was to stay put.
The Pistons selected G League Ignite wing Ron Holland II with the fifth overall pick in the first round of the NBA draft on Wednesday. This is the first move for a player in the Langdon era, and a surprise pick as Holland was widely projected toward the end of the lottery (which ended at 14th overall).
While the Pistons were willing to go down in exchange for assets, they ended up with one of the best athletes in the draft. Holland was the No. 1 recruit in the high school’s 2023 class.
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Holland, 18, is 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 206 pounds. He is considered one of the highest motor players in this class and has a 6-11 wingspan that should help him defensively. He averaged 19.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.3 steals and nearly a block on 46% shooting overall and 24% from 3 for the Ignite, who went 2-32 this season.
Holland’s poor outside shooting was a big factor in his sliding draft stock through Wednesday. But after hiring Dr. Fred Vinson as an assistant coach, Langdon seems confident those percentages can improve and unlock additional potential. Holland joins a group of big wings that currently includes last year’s fifth overall pick, Ausar Thompson, and restricted free agent Simone Fontecchio.
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Raising assets is a priority for Langdon, as the Pistons still owe a future first-round pick to the New York Knicks. They have $64 million in free agency, which begins Sunday night, and will potentially use some of it to eat up a bad salary in exchange for more draft picks.
“That’s one thing we’re looking for, with the cap space we have, is to do some deals with other teams and put some assets together as well,” Langdon said last week. “I hope the players that come in can support the growth of our young guys. If we can put those two things together, those are the elements that will make our summer successful.”
The Pistons also have the 53rd overall pick in Thursday’s second round of the NBA Draft, which begins at 4 p.m.
Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Detroit Pistons podcast, available wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live/on-demand on YouTube. See you Thursday morning for live reactions from the first round.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. follow him @omarisankofa.
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