For the Detroit Pistons, the path forward still runs through Cade Cunningham. That part is clear.
What also needs to become clear is how JB Bickerstaff helps ease the burden on him, because Detroit has not generated enough offense around its young star. One answer, according to the case being made here, is Daniss Jenkins.
Jenkins did enough last season to suggest he can be more than a useful reserve. He looked like a bench scorer who can give a team a steady lift, the kind of sixth man who can change the scoring rhythm on a given night. The bigger question is whether he can grow into something even more valuable: a player who can create for others, score more consistently, and take some of the pressure off Cunningham.
That starts with giving Jenkins more chances to run the offense. If Bickerstaff wants him ready for a larger role, he has to hand him more responsibility during the regular season and let him handle more of those lead-guard moments.
The numbers from Jenkins’ breakout year back up the idea that there is more there to work with. He averaged 20.2 minutes per game, put up 9.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists, and shot 37.4% from three on 2.7 attempts per game. That’s solid production, but not yet the kind of volume that forces defenses to fully account for him.
The playmaking, though, is where things start to pop. Databallr had Jenkins at 17.0 potential assists per 100 possessions, which suggests he was creating plenty of chances that teammates simply didn’t finish.
For comparison, Cunningham was at 24.7 potential assists per 100 possessions last year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander checked in at 18.6, Luka Doncic at 18.1 and Jalen Brunson at 16.5.
Of course, Jenkins is not being asked to match that level right away. But the point is that the tools are there. He made a huge leap from his rookie season to his sophomore year, and if Detroit keeps pushing him forward, he could develop into exactly what Cunningham needs beside him: a reliable secondary creator who can help carry the offense.
In Other News...
Pistons Suddenly Have A Jalen Duren Trade Decision They Can't Ignore
Jalen Durens contract situation has already become one of the more uncomfortable questions hanging over Detroits offseason, and now it has spilled into the trade market. Bleacher Report floated a deal that would send the young center to Milwaukee, with the idea framed as a way to break the tension around his negotiations with the Pistons while also giving Detroit a look at a different kind of frontcourt fit.
The proposal is built around a return of Myles Turner, Ryan Rollins and an unprotected 2031 first-round pick, which at least gives the Pistons a real conversation to have if the relationship keeps trending sideways. The bigger issue is whether Duren might be leaning toward the qualifying offer, a move that would put Detroit in a tougher spot and potentially force the team to consider a sign-and-trade path rather than letting the matter linger much longer. [Read more 🡒]
Paul Reed Now Faces The Pressure Behind Detroit's Isaiah Stewart Trade
Isaiah Stewarts move to Memphis left a clear opening in Detroits frontcourt, and Paul Reed is now the one expected to step into it. For the Pistons, it is a straightforward handoff on paper: more minutes, more responsibility and a bigger defensive burden for a big man who has long flashed the kind of energy and activity the coaching staff values.
Reeds challenge is that replacing Stewart is not just about filling a rotation spot. Detroit is asking him to absorb the demands of protecting the rim and handling pick-and-roll coverages with a level of consistency that comes with a much longer nightly workload, and the pressure rises from there when the reps start to pile up. The Pistons like the upside, but the real test will be whether Reed can turn those promising stretches into something sustainable when the role is no longer limited. [Read more 🡒]
John Collins Faces A Scoring Test Detroit Desperately Needs Him To Pass
The Pistons decision to swap John Collins in at power forward comes with a clear offensive message: they need more scoring from that spot than Tobias Harris provided. Collins has long been known for efficient shooting and the kind of post-up touch that can punish smaller defenders, and Detroit is banking on those traits translating into a bigger role. For a team trying to lighten the load on its core, this is less about fit on paper than it is about whether Collins can turn reliable scoring into something more demanding.
That challenge matters because Detroit does not have much margin for error on offense, and the expectation is that Collins will help create the extra production the lineup has lacked. He has shown he can score efficiently, but the Pistons need him to do it with more volume, not just as a complementary option. If that jump comes, it could reshape how defenses have to treat Detroit. If it does not, the search for another source of frontcourt scoring will only get louder. [Read more 🡒]