When a fight breaks out on an NBA court, the expectations placed on players in the heat of the moment can be murky. Jump into the fray, and you risk being called reckless or selfish.
Stay out of it, and suddenly you're not standing up for your teammates. It's a lose-lose scenario that rarely gets the nuance it deserves-especially in today’s league, where full-blown brawls are few and far between.
Vernon Maxwell "respects" what Duncan Robinson did during the Hornets-Pistons fight 🤝🤣
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 10, 2026
"Stay your a** out the way, Duncan...I'm cool with that. Duncan don't want no problems. He's from the suburbs."@MichelleDBeadle | @boogiecousins | @TeamLou23 | @VernonMaxwell11 pic.twitter.com/qPEDGQPFPH
That’s exactly the situation Duncan Robinson found himself in Monday night during a chaotic moment between the Detroit Pistons (39-13) and the Charlotte Hornets (25-29). As tempers flared and fists nearly flew, Robinson made a clear choice: he walked away.
And while that decision might raise eyebrows in some corners of the league, plenty of people-former players included-are backing him up.
Count Vernon Maxwell among them. The two-time NBA champion, who made his name with the Houston Rockets and played for eight teams over 13 seasons, didn’t mince words on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back.
“I respect what Duncan did,” Maxwell said. “Stay your a** out the way, Duncan.
I wouldn't even notice that unless someone brought it up. I'm cool with that.
Duncan don't want no problems. He's from the suburbs.”
That’s vintage Maxwell-honest, unfiltered, and rooted in a deep understanding of how the NBA works. And he’s not wrong.
Robinson isn’t the guy you expect to throw hands. He’s carved out his lane in the league as a lethal three-point shooter, not a bruiser.
Physical altercations aren’t part of his game-and that’s okay.
Still, it’s not like Robinson was checked out of the moment. When Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart-famously nicknamed “Beef Stew” for a reason-came barreling off the bench and went after Miles Bridges, the situation escalated fast. Hornets center Moussa Diabate didn’t help matters when he took a swing at Jalen Duren, but Stewart’s involvement all but guaranteed that this was going to get ugly.
Robinson saw it, read the room, and decided not to add fuel to the fire. Cameras caught him turning away from the chaos, visibly frustrated but clearly not interested in throwing himself into the middle of the melee.
And here’s the thing: that’s not a lack of toughness or loyalty. That’s composure.
It’s awareness. It’s a player understanding the moment and choosing not to make a bad situation worse.
Hopefully, Detroit sees it that way too. And if anyone’s questioning his commitment, they might want to check the box score. Robinson dropped 18 points in just 24 minutes of action-an efficient, impactful outing that helped the Pistons snap Charlotte’s nine-game winning streak.
Now, with that win in their back pocket, Detroit turns its attention to the Toronto Raptors (32-22) on Wednesday. The league, for its part, is eager to move past the incident. And judging by his demeanor, Duncan Robinson already has.