NBA Exec Calls Out Team For Ruining Star Player: 'That Situation Is A Mess'

Not all NBA rebuilds are created equal; at least one NBA executive believes the Detroit Pistons have completely botched theirs.

20 NBA executives and scouts were recently polled about their "predictions and opinions" about the upcoming 2024–25 rookie class. The poll conducted by ESPN's Jeremy Woo and Jonathan Givony asked the group to vote on which player they believed was the draft's "biggest reach." Pistons rookie Ron Holland, who went 5th overall, was tied for the top vote-getter with Milwaukee Bucks' AJ Johnson.

An anonymous NBA executive called Holland "ugly to watch" during his stint in the recently concluded Las Vegas Summer League. He also dished out a harsh reality that Pistons fans probably wouldn't want to hear.

"I feel bad for Cade Cunningham," the anonymous voter said. "They've been rebuilding for years even though they never planned on it, and this pick signals they might need to blow up the roster and start over again.

"I just don't see how [Holland] plays with Ausar Thompson, Jaden Ivey, and all their other young guys. That situation is a mess. Even when Holland was scoring in Vegas, it was so ugly to watch."

The Pistons won the 2021 NBA Draft lottery and selected Cunningham first overall. What should have been a rebuild-defining moment hasn't amounted to much since Cunningham was drafted.

The team's performance has actually trended backwards since Cunningham's arrival. The Pistons had a 23-59 record in his rookie campaign, then went 17-65 the following year, which was still better than the 14-68 mark they put up last season. It didn't help that the Pistons botched last season's coaching hire .

Cunningham has shown flashes of brilliance in his first three seasons. He's improved his offensive efficiency with each passing year, leading to last season's 22.7 point average on almost 45% shooting. He led the team with 7.5 assists per game.

Imagine what Cunningham could do if he had a decent supporting cast and a coach who wouldn't get fired one year after signing a record-breaking deal.

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