5 Winners and losers of the wildly unpredictable first round of the 2024 NBA Draft

Loser: Detroit Pistons

The worst team in basketball, the Detroit Pistons arguably lost the draft before it even began. Despite having the worst record in the NBA at 14-68, the Pistons ended up with only the fifth pick in the first round. They used it to take G-League Ignite forward Ron Holland in a massive reach.

Coming into the season, Holland was a projected top pick in the draft, but he had a rough year with the Ignite that showed the shortcomings of his game. For starters, Holland was not a great shooter. He shot 24 percent from three-point range on four attempts per game. He also averaged three turnovers per game to three assists, and three fouls per game.

It was not all bad for Holland though with the Ignite. He did showcase his ability to get to the rim and his elite athleticism, along with his good defensive ability (2.5 steals per game and one block), but the Pistons did not need another athletic forward that can’t really shoot consistently. 

Detroit could have done a couple things with this pick. They could have traded down and taken Dalton Knecht, while recouping future assets and if they really wanted Holland, they likely could have traded down and taken him.

Holland has all the tools to be a great pro, don’t get me wrong. However, given the fact that they have an abundance of athletic guys that can finish at the rim and not shoot well, this was not the way to go. We will see if Holland develops a consistent jumpshot, but until then this is a questionable selection.