Daniss Jenkins gave the Pistons a glimpse of something bigger on Sunday night: Cade Cunningham without the ball in his hands nearly every trip.
Cunningham has long done his best work as a high-usage, ball-dominant creator. Against the 76ers, though, Detroit put him alongside another confident handler in Jenkins, and the setup opened a different lane for Cade. He got cleaner looks, shifted into more off-ball scoring, and showed why his game can stretch beyond initiation.
The best part for Detroit is that Cunningham did not just stand around waiting for touches. He drilled multiple catch-and-shoot threes, then added production attacking from the post and off the catch. It was a different kind of Cade night, but one that hinted at a more dangerous version of the Pistons offense if it can be repeated.
Jenkins deserved his share of the spotlight too. He handled the 76ers defense well, created for teammates, and helped make things easier for Cunningham. But the bigger takeaway was what Cunningham looked like in this role and what it could mean down the line.
If he grows more comfortable working off the ball for longer stretches, Detroit could free up more rhythm touches for the rest of the roster and make its playoff offense harder to deal with. Cunningham does not need much to get rolling; his scoring package is too broad for that. His teammates, on the other hand, do not have that same margin for error.
That is why this shift matters. Cunningham has always been excellent as a table-setter, whether he is springing a teammate with a pick-and-roll lob or kicking out to an open shooter. Playing off the ball gives his teammates more space and more chances to create, while also giving Detroit a less taxing and more selfless way to keep its offense moving.
Of course, that only works if the Pistons trust the guards around him to handle the heavy lifting. Cunningham can slide into an off-ball role more often, but only if the people around him can run the offense with enough steadiness.
Jenkins fits that mold as a point guard who is comfortable taking on the responsibility of running plays and distributing. Usually, though, he begins games on the bench, with Ausar Thompson in the starting spot instead. Thompson is still developing as a ball-handler and may eventually earn more on-ball responsibilities, possibly by the playoffs, but he is not there yet.
So the real assignment for Detroit this season is clear: build confidence in the secondary ball-handlers. That approach may not always produce the cleanest regular-season outcomes, but it could give Cunningham and the offense a wider range of looks when the games matter most.
Cunningham is ready to do more off the ball. Now the Pistons have to make it worth his while.
In Other News...
Pistons Just Got A Look At A Matchup Teams May Keep Testing
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Nick Nurse opened with James in the middle, but the experiment did not last long. James struggled offensively and Philadelphia was beaten on the boards, which led Nurse to put Adem Bona back at center and restore a more traditional setup. For the Pistons, it was another reminder that teams around the league may keep testing the same kind of big-small hybrid look, even if the first answer does not always hold up. [Read more 🡒]
Ron Holland Is Giving The Pistons Exactly What This Team Lacks
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The shot was not falling, but the rest of Hollands line stood out because it spoke to the broader shape of his development. He looked more decisive with the ball and more willing to make the extra play, which matters for a Pistons team that needs toughness and versatility when the rotation gets thin. On a night when Detroit needed someone to do the dirty work, Holland gave them exactly that. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Hot Start Just Put Their Summer Gamble In A New Light
Detroits 3-0 start has given the season an early shine, and it has also made the franchises offseason approach look a lot more practical in real time. Even with Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren unavailable, the Pistons found enough punch to beat Philadelphia, leaning on the kind of internal growth and depth that can sometimes be talked up in July and only proven in October.
Daniss Jenkins was a big part of that against the 76ers, finishing with 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists while helping steady a lineup that has needed role players to step forward quickly. John Collins has been part of that picture too, as Detroits early success has come less from splashy headlines and more from the sort of contributions that can quietly change the tone around a team. [Read more 🡒]