True or False?

[tmorgan]

Ron Holland is a starter next season.

I say “true”. It could happen in a few different ways.

1) We don’t continue with DR, and Ivey is either dealt, leaves for a big RFA offer, or is still struggling.
2) We use Ausar as prime bait in a big trade. FYI, I’m not opposed to this. Ausar is frustrating me.
3) Tobias decides not to come back and we go with a smaller, faster team.
4) Ron just plays really well and claims the 2 or 3 himself.

I don’t think any of these are likely on their own, but since any could lead to Ron starting, I say one of them happens.

[DetroitSho]

Literally the only answer of true would mean we've acquired some high level star in a trade. So false.

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[tmorgan]

While I don’t agree with Sho, given the way I worded this thing, I forgot one:

5) Ron is traded in a package for a star and he’s starting somewhere else.

[Kalamazoo317]

False. Love Ron, but think he needs more time to cook.

[bstein14]

Ron is great energy off the bench.... his worst games this year were the few he started IMO. I think he'll come off the bench next year in year 3 and then if he gets his 3% up to at least mid 30s he'll be strongly considered for a starting role in year 4.

I can't see any scenario, other than a major injury.... where we don't pick up Duncan Robinson's team option for next year. Yes, he could end up starting or being a bench player next year but I'd be really surprised if we'd rather have the $15 million of money for something else other than what Duncan brings to the table. He's been #2 in minutes on this team for a reason.

Tobias I can't really see leaving either, unless we trade him at the deadline. I think its fairly likely he retires a Piston even if he takes a bench role to finish out his career here.

[Billl]

He can’t start with ausar and duren unless his shot improves significantly. I don’t think that happens by the start of next season, but who knows. He thinks he can hit them and that’s half the battle.

[SuperBad]

I think I would trade Paul Reed and the pick to move up and get a stretch 5 (maybe Ivisic) let Stew play the 4, Tobias back him up. Maybe sign Drummond as another center as well. Maybe Beasly or another shooter is on the market, you can move on from Robinson but most likely another year. think Ron will take his leap over the next 60 or so games.

[BadMofoPimp]

Ron is great energy off the bench.... his worst games this year were the few he started IMO. I think he'll come off the bench next year in year 3 and then if he gets his 3% up to at least mid 30s he'll be strongly considered for a starting role in year 4.

I can't see any scenario, other than a major injury.... where we don't pick up Duncan Robinson's team option for next year. Yes, he could end up starting or being a bench player next year but I'd be really surprised if we'd rather have the $15 million of money for something else other than what Duncan brings to the table. He's been #2 in minutes on this team for a reason.

Tobias I can't really see leaving either, unless we trade him at the deadline. I think its fairly likely he retires a Piston even if he takes a bench role to finish out his career here.

FYI. Duncan has no team option . . .

[bstein14]

Ron is great energy off the bench.... his worst games this year were the few he started IMO. I think he'll come off the bench next year in year 3 and then if he gets his 3% up to at least mid 30s he'll be strongly considered for a starting role in year 4.

I can't see any scenario, other than a major injury.... where we don't pick up Duncan Robinson's team option for next year. Yes, he could end up starting or being a bench player next year but I'd be really surprised if we'd rather have the $15 million of money for something else other than what Duncan brings to the table. He's been #2 in minutes on this team for a reason.

Tobias I can't really see leaving either, unless we trade him at the deadline. I think its fairly likely he retires a Piston even if he takes a bench role to finish out his career here.

FYI. Duncan has no team option . . .

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/_/id/27658/duncan-robinson

His contract isn't guaranteed for next year.... which is essentially a team option. Only $2 million in guaranteed for next season and the following seasons is completely non-guaranteed. We have until January 10th 2027 to waive/cut him off the books next season if we don't want his salary.

[Snakebites]

I do not believe Ron Holland and Ausar Thompson will ever regularly start together.

[Snakebites]

Ron is great energy off the bench.... his worst games this year were the few he started IMO. I think he'll come off the bench next year in year 3 and then if he gets his 3% up to at least mid 30s he'll be strongly considered for a starting role in year 4.

I can't see any scenario, other than a major injury.... where we don't pick up Duncan Robinson's team option for next year. Yes, he could end up starting or being a bench player next year but I'd be really surprised if we'd rather have the $15 million of money for something else other than what Duncan brings to the table. He's been #2 in minutes on this team for a reason.

Tobias I can't really see leaving either, unless we trade him at the deadline. I think its fairly likely he retires a Piston even if he takes a bench role to finish out his career here.

FYI. Duncan has no team option . . .

No but he does have a pretty cheap buyout.

[bstein14]

I do not believe Ron Holland and Ausar Thompson will ever regularly start together.

In 18 games this season, they've played together 134 minutes and our team defense in those 134 minutes has been incredible. 95.9 Defensive Rating with a net rating of +14.5. ....

If you look at all the duos who have played together on our team this season for at least 134 minutes, that duo has the 5th best net rating on the team. 34 duos have played at least 134 minutes together this season.

So while I agree that on paper they don't seem to fit, they've been great on the floor together this season.

[Cowology]

Ron > Ausar

Ron is still a year or two away, but if we swing a trade it could absolutely happen. And while it may hurt a little in terms of W/L, it would probably accelerate his timeframe.

[MrBigShot]

Ron > Ausar

Ron is still a year or two away, but if we swing a trade it could absolutely happen. And while it may hurt a little in terms of W/L, it would probably accelerate his timeframe.

From what we've seen from both so far Ausar is more important to the core imo.

Love the intensity Ron plays with but he has a ways to go to be even an average offensive player. He still very much plays like a rookie in a lot of ways and the game is very fast for him.

Despite being a non-shooter Ausar finds ways to score and has a tendency to be in the right place at the right time. What gives me hope for Ron as a scorer though is that unlike Ausar, his shooting form actually looks pretty good.

[zeebneeb]

Ron Holland is a starter next season.

I say “true”. It could happen in a few different ways.

1) We don’t continue with DR, and Ivey is either dealt, leaves for a big RFA offer, or is still struggling.
2) We use Ausar as prime bait in a big trade. FYI, I’m not opposed to this. Ausar is frustrating me.
3) Tobias decides not to come back and we go with a smaller, faster team.
4) Ron just plays really well and claims the 2 or 3 himself.

I don’t think any of these are likely on their own, but since any could lead to Ron starting, I say one of them happens.

I will go with false. Unless Ron starts shooting, what either Harris, or Ivey shoots from three, I see no chance. (Harris 37% Ivey 41% Holland 27%)

[DetroitSho]

The "what is he shooting from 3" analysis to evaluate every single f'ing player has gotten beyond old. Cade is TERRIBLE from 3 right now. Is he a pretty good player? Fans today would probably hate prime Lamarcus Aldridge. Those automatic 18 footers wouldn't be enough for some here because he didn't take 3s.

Truth of the matter is Ron's halfcourt offensive game isn't good enough period and needs to improve to be a starter. But if he somehow became elite at attacking closeouts and getting to the basket under control with that good euro step, and if he started closing that defensive space and hitting the hard dribble pull up from 19 feet (ala Dwyane Wade, another trash 3 point shooter) then he can get away with being below average from 3 and would very formidable as a starter.

He just needs to become a better shooter all around. The way you become a better 3 point shooter is to become a better shooter from 10 feet, and 16 feet and 19 feet. Shooting is a rhythm and a feel, so once you're knocking it down from these distances you continue to increase the range. Parking a bad shooter in the corner is a stupid offensive strategy to begin with. I think bad shooters need better shooting backgrounds than just the sideview of the rim. So I just wish the, "if he can just knock down the corner 3" train of scouting would kill over.

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[Billl]

The "what is he shooting from 3" analysis to evaluate every single f'ing player has gotten beyond old. Cade is TERRIBLE from 3 right now. Is he a pretty good player? Fans today would probably hate prime Lamarcus Aldridge. Those automatic 18 footers wouldn't be enough for some here because he didn't take 3s.

Truth of the matter is Ron's halfcourt offensive game isn't good enough period and needs to improve to be a starter. But if he somehow became elite at attacking closeouts and getting to the basket under control with that good euro step, and if he started closing that defensive space and hitting the hard dribble pull up from 19 feet (ala Dwyane Wade, another trash 3 point shooter) then he can get away with being below average from 3 and would very formidable as a starter.

He just needs to become a better shooter all around. The way you become a better 3 point shooter is to become a better shooter from 10 feet, and 16 feet and 19 feet. Shooting is a rhythm and a feel, so once you're knocking it down from these distances you continue to increase the range. Parking a bad shooter in the corner is a stupid offensive strategy to begin with. I think bad shooters need better shooting backgrounds than just the sideview of the rim. So I just wish the, "if he can just knock down the corner 3" train of scouting would kill over.

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The problem is that teams aren't closing out on him, so there is no close out to attack most nights. That will continue to be the case until he can knock down an open 3. He doesn't have to be curry, but you can't play 3 guys that the opposition gladly will give open 3's to. Ron doesn't have to hit 3's to be a decent NBA player, but it does limit him to having to play with real floor spacers. EVERYONE doesn't need to be able to hit a 3, but SOMEONE does.