The Detroit Pistons had every reason to listen to the noise around Duncan Robinson. Instead, they stayed put, guaranteed his contract for 2026-27, and absorbed the final two years and more than $31 million on the deal.
That decision looked risky when reports surfaced suggesting Robinson might be waived. Brett Siegel of Clutch Points, in a since-deleted post, reported that Robinson would be waived. Then NBA insider Chris Haynes added, "Contrary to speculation, the Detroit Pistons will not be waiving marksman Duncan Robinson."
Early in the 2026-27 season, Robinson is making that call look smart.
With Jalen Duren sidelined and the Pistons needing dependable scoring, Robinson has opened the year averaging a career-high 19.0 points per game while shooting .474/.479/.844. The numbers jump off the page, but the bigger story is how he’s getting there. His scoring surge has more to do with a bigger role and a more assertive approach than any sudden leap in efficiency.
He was already efficient enough last season, shooting 45.6 percent from the field in 2025-26. Now, with more responsibility, he’s simply taking more on.
That has mattered even more because Detroit has also been without Isaiah Joe, the marquee offseason addition who was supposed to bring more shooting to the wing. Robinson has helped cover that gap and, in the process, eased the load on Cade Cunningham.
He’s already posted four 20-point games in his first eight appearances of 2026-27 and has scored at least 17 points in each of his last three outings. For a team waiting on Ausar Thompson’s offensive jump and broader improvement in shot creation, that kind of steady production is gold.
A big part of Robinson’s early success has been his aggression. He’s getting to the line 4.0 times per game, a huge rise from his 1.4 free throw attempts per game in 2025-26.
Once Duren and Joe are back, Robinson’s role may shift. But even if the usage changes, the Pistons have already learned what matters most: when they need a bucket, he can deliver. His career average of 15.9 points per 36 minutes backs that up, and with the added responsibility, he’s playing at an even higher level.
For now, Detroit’s choice to ignore the waiver chatter looks like the right one.
In Other News...
Pistons Fans Have A New Reason To Revisit That Embiid Ending
The Pistons left Philadelphia with a 112-106 loss, but the game will be remembered in Detroit for more than the final score. Joel Embiid was assessed a flagrant foul penalty 1 after kicking Cade Cunningham in the groin, and he also picked up a technical foul for shoving another player in a night that had plenty of edge to it.
Embiid still produced a double-double with 26 points and 15 rebounds, adding another big night to a career that keeps climbing the 76ers record book. For Pistons fans, though, the lasting image is less about his numbers and more about the ending, which gave Cunningham and Detroit plenty to think about after a frustrating finish. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Fans Have Every Reason To Be Furious After Embiid Incident
The sequence involving Joel Embiid and Jaden Cunningham was the kind of moment that can leave a crowd stewing long after the whistle. Near the three-point line, Embiid unintentionally struck Cunningham in the groin while defending, and the Pistons forward was left in obvious pain as the play unfolded in front of everyone.
Embiids night did not stop there, either, as he also drew a technical foul for pushing Tolu Smith and was later hit with a retroactive Flagrant 1. Even with the extra scrutiny, he still finished with 26 points and 15 rebounds, and Philadelphia moved to 8-1, leaving Detroit with plenty to gripe about from a game that felt increasingly out of hand. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Look Smarter For Passing On Miles Bridges Now
When Detroit was weighing its options at power forward, Miles Bridges was one of the names in the mix, but the Pistons chose to go another direction and build around players they felt fit better. Instead of making that move, they landed on veterans such as Tobias Harris and John Collins, a pair of additions that gave the front office a different kind of roster construction to work with.
Bridges has long had the scoring and rebounding production that keeps him in the conversation, with career averages of 16 points and 6 rebounds per game, but the defensive questions have followed him from Charlotte to Phoenix. His recent stint with the Suns has only sharpened that concern, with his play on that end drawing criticism and factoring into a decline in Phoenixs defensive rating, which makes Detroits decision to pass look a little wiser in hindsight. [Read more 🡒]