The Pistons may have another useful two-way story developing in Tolu Smith.
Detroit got real value out of Daniss Jenkins last season, turning an unexpected two-way contributor into a player who eventually earned a full-time contract. Jenkins got his opportunity when injuries opened the door early, and he took advantage of it. That mattered for the Pistons, especially when they were able to trade Jaden Ivey without the roster suddenly feeling short-handed.
That kind of hit on a cheap developmental player is gold in the Tax Apron era, when every dollar matters and teams need low-cost production wherever they can find it. Smith now looks like the next candidate to fill that kind of role.
The appeal is simple: he has a couple of real NBA skills.
Smith’s offensive ceiling is extremely limited, but he has already shown one thing he can do at a high level - rebound. Against the Wizards in the preseason, he collected 13 rebounds in just 16 minutes, with eight of them coming on the offensive glass. That is the sort of production that can change a possession battle in a hurry and create extra shots for everyone else.
He’s not a shooter. He’s not going to win many awards for catching the ball in traffic, either.
But around the rim, Smith works. He can finish with a dunk when he gets the chance, and he brings active hands as a defender, with the ability to chip in blocks and steals.
At this point, that’s basically the full package.
For a third center, that’s enough to matter.
And the depth chart suggests he’ll get his chance. Paul Reed filled the third-center role last season and wound up appearing in 65 games, though Reed is clearly the better player overall. Smith probably won’t reach that kind of workload, but over the course of the season he should see action as the third big.
That’s where the Jenkins comparison starts to make sense. He was in a similar spot last year, and things changed fast. Smith could easily follow the same path if injuries or foul trouble force the Pistons to lean on him more than expected.
Detroit already found one success story in Daniss Jenkins. Tolu Smith might be next.
In Other News...
Cade Cunninghams Absence Is Giving The Pistons A Real Test
Cade Cunninghams preseason rest against Washington gave the Pistons a useful look at life without their top engine, and it put some of the rosters younger pieces under the spotlight. Detroit has been using these exhibition stretches to sort through lineups and see which combinations can hold up when the offense isnt running through its best player, a worthwhile exercise even in a loss.
Daniss Jenkins stepped into a bigger role, while rookie Ebuka Okorie also got another chance to make his case after his strong preseason opener against Phoenix. For a team that wants more flexibility and a deeper supporting cast once the games count, these minutes matter, because the Pistons need more than Cunninghams brilliance to carry them through the regular season. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Just Got An Early Warning About Life Without Cade
Cade Cunningham sat out Detroits second preseason game, and the result offered an early glimpse of how thin the margin can get when the offense has to function without its engine. The Pistons had trouble generating clean looks, the ball stuck at times, and the overall execution on that end never found much rhythm as the group struggled to score efficiently.
There were a couple of encouraging notes in the backcourt, though, with Daniss Jenkins and rookie Ebuka Okorie each showing some feel for organizing the offense. Even so, Detroits poor shooting and turnover issues underscored how much work remains if the team wants to survive Cunningham absences in the regular season and keep his workload manageable. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons May Not Be Done After Locking In Cade Cunninghams Core
The Pistons have already checked off two major items from their long-term to-do list, signing Ausar Thompson to a five-year extension and reaching a five-year, $200 million fully guaranteed deal with Jalen Duren after a restricted free agency standoff. For a franchise that has spent years trying to stabilize its young core around Cade Cunningham, locking in Thompson and Duren gives Detroit a clearer identity and a deeper foundation than it had going into the offseason.
Even so, the roster picture does not feel finished. Detroit has been mentioned in speculation tied to a possible wing upgrade, and the teams front office has made it clear enough in recent years that it will keep looking for ways to speed up the rebuild. Whether that means standing pat with the group it has or finding another move to balance the rotation, the Pistons still have a few decisions to make before the roster feels fully set. [Read more 🡒]