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    • Detroit Pistons get a boost from Ron Holland, but lose to Utah, 97-87
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    Detroit Pistons get a boost from Ron Holland, but lose to Utah, 97-87

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    The Detroit Pistons had a Summer League-best showing with their top 2024 pick on Sunday, allowing them to end their time in Las Vegas on a strong note despite the scoreboard showing a loss.

    The Pistons lost 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 points at halftime, the Pistons cut the deficit to five points with just under six minutes remaining, ending their time in Vegas with an overall record of 2-3.

    Holland shows more promise of 3

    THE BIG PICTURE: What We Learned About Detroit Pistons During Summer League: Holland Already Making an Impact

    Holland possesses many qualities that teams value in modern wings — athleticism, length, defensive tenacity and downhill scoring. But his lack of shooting in the G League Ignite — he hit just 24 percent from 3 — was the primary reason the league was surprised the Pistons took the 19-year-old with their top pick.

    The low percentage wasn’t a deal breaker for new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon, who was confident Holland could address his inaccuracy behind the three-point line.

    “He has one of the biggest upsides in the draft,” Langdon said on draft night in June. “Everybody knows shooting is a problem, but a lot of players who have a big upside in this draft, shooting was a problem. We hired Fred Vinson for a reason, so we can take advantage of these types of opportunities with young players when shooting is the most important thing. If his shooting is on target, he’s going to be a very, very good player.”

    It helps that Vinson, one of the league’s most respected shot doctors, is an assistant coach. But Holland’s Summer League performance suggests his path to becoming a league-average shooter might not be so difficult. After missing both 3s in his debut game, he’s made 3s in each of his last three games.

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

    In addition to shooting, Holland also seemed more comfortable with the ball in his hands. He completed 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 showed off his open-floor athleticism.

    Holland improved in every game in July, breaking the 20-point barrier in his last two games. Sunday was his most efficient performance, as his 9-for-16 (56.3%) mark marked the first time he made at least half of his shots. It took a few games for him to get going, but the teenage forward could remind himself why the Pistons were higher on him than the consensus.

    Klintman shows his outside shots for the last time

    After scoring no points in the first half, Klintman made three 3-pointers in the second half, helping the Pistons cut a 28-point deficit to five. But even before he could fire a shot, he had three assists — including a nifty behind-the-back pass to Holland who cut in transition — and two 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 once again the most accurate shooter on the roster. The 21-year-old was a pleasant surprise, consistently showing 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 scarce one on a roster that features Holland plus Tobias Harris, Simone Fonteccchio and Ausar Thompson. Still, he was arguably the Pistons’ best all-around player in Vegas and will be in the discussion if he can maintain his Summer League production.

    ( MUST LOOK: Make “The Pistons Pulse” your favorite Detroit Pistons podcast, available wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or live/on demand on YouTube.)

    Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him @omarisankofa.

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