Ron Holland, scorer? Detroit Pistons' top pick shows offense in Summer League-closing loss

The Detroit Pistons got a Summer League-best performance from their top 2024 pick on Sunday. It allowed them to close their time in Las Vegas on a strong note, even though the scoreboard showed a loss.

The Pistons fell to the Utah Jazz, 97-87, in their fifth and final game of the month. Ron Holland, the No. 5 overall pick, set a personal Vegas high with 23 points, along with four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Bobi Klintman, the team's second-round pick, added 11 points and made three of his six 3-pointers. Tolu Smith also reached double figures in scoring, with 12 points.

After trailing by 28 at halftime, the Pistons cut the deficit to five with just under six minutes left. They finished their time in Vegas with a 2-3 overall record.

Holland shows more promise from 3

THE BIG PICTURE: What we learned about Detroit Pistons at Summer League: Holland already making impact

Holland has a lot of qualities that teams value in modern wings — athleticism, length, defensive tenacity and downhill scoring. But his lack of shooting with the G League Ignite — he hit just 24% from 3 — was the primary reason the league was surprised to see the Pistons take the 19-year-old with its top pick.

The low percentage wasn’t a dealbreaker for new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon, who expressed confidence that Holland will solve his inaccuracy from behind the arc.

“He’s got one of the biggest upsides in the draft,” Langdon said on draft night in June. “Everybody knows the shooting is an issue, but for a lot of the players that have high upside in this draft, shooting was an issue. We hired Fred Vinson for a reason, so we can take chances like this on young players when shooting is the piece. If his shot hits, he’s going to be a really, really good player.”

Having Vinson, one of the league’s most-respected shot doctors, as an assistant coach helps. But Holland’s Summer League performance suggests his path to being a league-average shooter may not be a difficult one. After missing both of his attempts from 3 in his debut game, he made a 3 in each of his final three games.

Sunday was his best, as he made two 3-pointers in the first half — his first time in Vegas making more than one in a game. Holland’s shot still needs work, but it’s not broken. His upper body mechanics are clean, and he gets a good arc on the ball. He still needs work on knocking down movement 3-pointers, but Holland looked competent when he had both feet set before launching.

Along with the shooting, Holland also looked more comfortable with the ball in his hands. He finished a number of baseline drives, including a right-handed floater, and a couple of tough layups in transition. He also had a highlight-reel reverse-windmill dunk in the second half that showcased his open-floor athleticism.

Holland improved during each game in July, cracking the 20-point threshold in his final two games. Sunday was his most efficient performance, as his 9-for-16 mark (56.3%) was his first time making at least half of his shots. It took him a couple games to get going, but the teenage forward was able to provide another reminder of why the Pistons were higher on him than the consensus.

Klintman shows off outside shotmaking one last time

After going scoreless in the first half, Klintman knocked down three 3-pointers in the second as the Pistons narrowed a 28-point gap to five. But even before he knocked down a shot, he had three assists — including a nifty behind-the-back pass to Holland cutting in transition — and a pair of blocks.

Klintman’s last game in Vegas was similar to his first, which is a positive. He was among the Pistons' best playmakers and defenders even before he found his rhythm. Once he did, he was again the most accurate shooter on the roster. The 21-year-old has been a pleasant surprise, consistently showcasing strong floor vision, both in transition and in the halfcourt, along with competent defense and strong outside shooting.

A 6-foot-9 forward, Klintman’s path to consistent playing time next season may be a slim one on a roster that includes Holland plus Tobias Harris, Simone Fonteccchio and Ausar Thompson. Even so, he was arguably the Pistons’ best all-around player in Vegas and will be in the conversation if he can sustain his Summer League production.

[ MUST WATCH: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Detroit Pistons podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts ( Apple , Spotify ) or watch live/on demand on YouTube . ]

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com . Follow him @omarisankofa .

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ron Holland, scorer? Detroit Pistons' top pick shows offense in Summer League-closing loss