Cavs Bring Holland to Training Camp

As summer winds down and fall approaches, the Cleveland Cavaliers will bring in several players on training camp deals. As these signings happen, Cavs: The Blog will take some time to profile each player and what they could bring to the team. Today’s profile takes a look at shooting guard John Holland.

There are many different paths to the NBA, and to see that you need look no further than last year’s Cleveland Cavaliers. From number one overall picks like LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, to undrafted free agents such as Matthew Dellavedova, to former overseas players such as Timofey Mozgov and Sasha Kaun, there are many routes that a player with the necessary talent and dedication can take to try to make their ultimate dream come true.

Swingman John Holland—whose agreement to a training camp deal with the Cavaliers was first reported by David Pick—has taken a route that is a combination of some of those listed above. A four year player at Boston University and the 2011 America East Conference Player of the Year, Holland was never considered an NBA prospect. Yet here he is, coming to training camp with the defending NBA Champions after finishing last season with the Boston Celtics. How did Holland get here, and what skills does he bring to the court?

Holland first really put himself on the radars of NBA front offices during the Portsmouth Invitational—a basketball tournament for top NCAA seniors—in April of 2011. Holland had several tools that NBA scouts look for. He has good size for a shooting guard at 6’5″ 205 pounds with a 6’8.5″ wingspan, solid fundamentals and effort on the defensive end, and a versatile offensive repertoire. Holland could score both inside and from NBA three point range while playing both on and off the ball, rare for a player coming out of college. He also had a good first step and handle, as well as solid mechanics on his jumper, although he has been a streaky shooter both in college and as a professional. While not a plus on the boards or as a passer, he is solid enough on both ends. Holland didn’t have much upside, but he did have a diverse set of skills that could potentially play well on the highest level.

Despite these skills, Holland was not selected in the 2011 NBA Draft. He then signed with French team Chorale Roanne Basket, where he averaged 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 steals in 28 games and was voted a Ligue Nationale de Basket Pro A All-Star. Perhaps more importantly, he was extremely efficient, shooting 49% from the field and 41% from three. Holland got his first exposure to the NBA in the summer of 2012, when he played in the Orlando and Las Vegas Summer Leagues for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat, respectively. He also saw summer league action for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2013, and signed with the Spurs in 2014, but didn’t make it out of training camp. In between, Holland bounced around overseas, spending time with Cajasol Sevilla (Spain), BCM Gravelines (France), Besiktas J.K. (Turkey).

It wasn’t until he had played four years overseas that Holland decided to give the NBA Development League a shot. While the D-League didn’t pay the kind of money that Holland had grown accustomed to making playing abroad, it gave him the chance to be seen by NBA teams on a more regular basis. Acquired by the Canton Charge on December 23, 2105, Holland averaged 16 points, 3.1 rebounds, two assists, and 1.2 steals in 37 games. He also shot 52% from the floor—36.9% from three—and 85.2% from the line. After averaging 28.5 points for the Charge as they defeated the as they defeated the Maine Red Claws in the first round of the D-League playoffs, the Boston Celtics—parent club of the Red Claws—signed Holland to a multi-year contract on April 11 of this year. He made his NBA debut in Game 2 of the Celtics’ playoff series against the Hawks, going scoreless in one minute of action. While he was waived on August 31st, Holland finally reached the highest level of his chosen profession. What remains to be seen is whether or not he can get back there.

While Holland has interesting ability as a scorer, it’s hard to see where he fits on the Cavaliers. Assuming J.R. Smith eventually returns to the fold, this team’s biggest needs are a defensive point guard and a high level rim protector, and Holland is neither of those things. In all likelihood the Cavaliers hope to make Holland one of their cuts that will be signed to the Charge, keeping a solid player in the organization and available if the Cavaliers need to call him up at some point during the season. Still, Holland has beaten the odds before, and soon he will have the chance to do it again.