Daniss Jenkins is making it hard for the Pistons to put him back on the bench.
JB Bickerstaff changed up the starting five last night, sliding Jenkins in for Paul Reed in a move designed to juice the offense. The result was exactly what Detroit needed: 19 fast break points, and Jenkins followed up one strong outing with another.
The lineup tweak also put John Collins at center, a look that made sense given the Pistons’ rebounding issues without Jalen Duren. Neither Collins nor Reed is going to fix that problem by himself, and the two hadn’t been working especially well together, so Bickerstaff split them up and spread the load around.
That approach won’t be a nightly fix. Detroit still gave up 44 points to Anthony Davis and lost the rebounding battle overall. But Jenkins in the starting group is becoming a much bigger question, even beyond Duren’s return, because the Pistons have simply looked better with him there.
Last night was Jenkins’ 21st career start, and Detroit is 16-5 in those games.
The numbers tell the story. As a starter, Jenkins has averaged 17.5 points, 7.3 assists and four rebounds, giving the Pistons the secondary creation and shot-making they need. He’s been rolling all season too, putting up more than 12 points per game along with 4.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds and nearly a steal a night, while keeping his turnovers down to 1.6.
He’s also knocking down nearly 43 percent of his 3s, which has made him dangerous whether he’s on the ball or working off it. Just as important, he’s taken some of the playmaking burden off Cade Cunningham.
When Cunningham got into foul trouble last night, Jenkins logged a team-high 36 minutes and delivered eight assists against just two turnovers.
That kind of performance gives Bickerstaff something to think about. Jenkins is helping the Pistons play faster, and Detroit is at its best when it can get stops and run. The half-court offense still needs work, even with more shooting in the mix.
So the question isn’t just whether Jenkins deserves another start now. It’s whether Bickerstaff will want to take him out of the lineup at all once Duren is back.
For now, the answer looks increasingly like no. If Jenkins keeps producing like this, he may have earned a permanent place with the starters even when the Pistons are whole again.
In Other News...
Daniss Jenkins Is Giving The Pistons A Tough New Decision
Daniss Jenkins has turned a strong start into one of the more interesting roster questions facing Detroit. The guard has given the Pistons steady production, averaging 12.7 points, 4.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds while knocking down 43 percent of his 3-point attempts, and that kind of early impact tends to get noticed quickly in a league that is always looking for useful backcourt pieces.
The tricky part is what comes next. Jenkins is headed toward restricted free agency at seasons end, which gives Detroit control, but not necessarily an easy path to keeping him if the market gets involved or the cap picture tightens. The Pistons also have to weigh the progress of rookie Ebuka Okorie and the contract situation of Paul Reed, which means Jenkins rise may be forcing the front office to think several moves ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Already Have One Early Reason To Feel Better About Collins
The Pistons decision to swap Tobias Harris out and John Collins in at power forward already looks easier to understand in early-season context. Harris, now 34, still has not played this season because of a calf strain, and it has only sharpened the questions that were already hanging over his durability as Detroit weighed its options in free agency.
Collins was never just about talent for the Pistons, either. The appeal was always tied to his availability and the flexibility of his contract, even with the age concern that comes with adding another veteran. For a team trying to stabilize that spot, simply having a player on the floor has been a useful early reminder of why Detroit made the move. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Suddenly Face A Trade Deadline Decision Fans Can't Ignore
Detroits strong 7-3 start has changed the conversation around the franchise in a hurry. With a healthy stash of draft capital and expiring contracts in hand, the Pistons are in position to be more than patient observers ahead of the Feb. 11 trade deadline. They have put themselves in the mix in the Eastern Conference, and the front office now has to weigh whether to keep building organically or use those assets to accelerate the timeline.
The need is fairly clear: secondary scoring and frontcourt depth would both help a team trying to keep pace with Boston and Philadelphia. Names such as John Collins, Duncan Robinson and Naz Reid have already surfaced as possible fits, which tells you the market is starting to take shape around Detroits needs. The bigger question is how aggressive the Pistons want to be, because the right move could help them chase the top of the standings, while the wrong one could cost them the flexibility that got them here. [Read more 🡒]