The Detroit Pistons may have found an unexpected answer in the middle of a rotation squeeze.
In Sunday’s 121-116 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, backup point guard Daniss Jenkins turned a quiet role into a loud statement. He scored 31 points in 32 minutes and drove Detroit’s offense for long stretches, even as the team came up short.
With Jalen Duren out for another two weeks, coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been adjusting on the fly, and Jenkins has pushed himself into the conversation.
That matters because the Pistons needed someone else to carry the load when Cade Cunningham didn’t have it going. Cunningham finished with 14 points on 6-for-15 shooting, and Detroit’s offense leaned on Jenkins to keep pace. The contrast was hard to miss.
Jenkins has been producing more than just one big night. He’s averaging 11.7 points and 4.3 assists per game this season, with that rise tied to Duren’s absence. Bickerstaff has been testing different lineups in search of some consistency, and Jenkins has emerged as a secondary playmaker and scorer in the process.
The problem now is fitting everyone in.
Detroit’s bench also includes Kevin Huerter, who scored 24 points against the Lakers, and specialist Isaiah Joe. If Jenkins keeps earning minutes, Bickerstaff may have to lean into an 11-man rotation and let performance dictate the nightly workload.
That kind of setup could also help Cunningham. If Jenkins can keep organizing the offense, the Pistons could use Cunningham off the ball more often, building on a preseason plan meant to save his energy.
Jenkins’ rise could even ripple into the frontcourt. Rookie Ron Holland II played just 14 minutes on Sunday, and as Jenkins claims more of the guard and wing minutes, Holland may find it tougher to carve out a bigger role.
Still, Jenkins has not erased the questions around his game. Analysts pointed to a major weakness over the summer: he shot just 31.3% on attempts around the rim, a historically poor number. With his game leaning heavily on deep threes or shaky finishing at the basket, there were real doubts about whether he fit cleanly next to Cunningham.
Those concerns haven’t disappeared. But right now, Jenkins has done enough to force the issue.
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