Daniss Jenkins keeps making the Pistons look like they found the guard they wanted all along.
Detroit had every reason to think Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey would grow into the backcourt of the future. Cunningham’s upside was obvious from the start, and Ivey’s 2024-25 numbers - 21.2 points and 4.8 assists per 36 minutes - only added to the belief that he could be that kind of partner. But Ivey’s run in Detroit ended before he could finish his rookie-scale contract, and the Pistons have been searching for the same blend of shot creation and pressure ever since.
Now Jenkins is giving them that look.
In 2026-27, he’s starting to check every box Detroit wanted from that spot next to Cunningham: floor spacing, playmaking, and the kind of dribble penetration that bends a defense. That matters because after the Pistons moved on from Ivey, no one else on the roster besides Cunningham had shown that kind of consistent ability to collapse the defense.
The latest example came in the Nov. 12 game against the Washington Wizards, when Jenkins entered averaging 12.7 points, 4.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 1.0 offensive board, 0.8 steals, and 2.1 made threes in 26.0 minutes per game while shooting .452/.429/.917. He kept rolling against Washington, scoring 16 points in the first half and repeatedly warping the defense with his activity.
He finished with 21 points, six rebounds, two offensive boards, and two steals on 6-of-11 shooting and 3-of-5 from deep. Jenkins also went 6-for-6 at the line. With Jalen Duren out, Detroit needed offense, and Jenkins delivered another strong night.
Even more important for the Pistons, this wasn’t a one-off. Jenkins has now scored at least 20 points in three straight games.
That stretch started with 31 points, five rebounds, four assists, and a steal on 9-of-17 shooting. It continued with 22 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and four steals in a Nov. 9 game against Washington, and he turned the ball over just three times across those two games.
That kind of run gives Detroit a clearer picture of what the offense can look like when everything is clicking.
And the role doesn’t disappear just because Duren eventually returns. The Pistons still need another perimeter creator who can score for himself and make life easier for everyone else. Duncan Robinson’s shooting and Ausar Thompson’s growth as a playmaker matter, but Jenkins is doing something different: he’s filling the exact kind of shot-creating job Detroit had hoped a shooting guard would handle.
He’s also shown he can do it when given the chance to start.
Nov. 12 was Jenkins’ 22nd career start, and his numbers in those games are loud: 17.6 points, 7.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 1.4 offensive boards, 1.0 steal, and 1.8 made threes per game on .447/.381/.846 shooting. For a player alongside Cunningham, that’s not just useful production. It’s the kind of output that changes what Detroit can be.
If Jenkins keeps this up, Cunningham gets relief, the offense gets another layer, and the Pistons may have found the co-creator they were chasing when they believed Ivey would be the answer.
In Other News...
Daniss Jenkins Is Giving The Pistons A Tough New Decision
Daniss Jenkins has turned a strong start into one of the more interesting roster questions facing Detroit. The guard has given the Pistons steady production, averaging 12.7 points, 4.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds while knocking down 43 percent of his 3-point attempts, and that kind of early impact tends to get noticed quickly in a league that is always looking for useful backcourt pieces.
The tricky part is what comes next. Jenkins is headed toward restricted free agency at seasons end, which gives Detroit control, but not necessarily an easy path to keeping him if the market gets involved or the cap picture tightens. The Pistons also have to weigh the progress of rookie Ebuka Okorie and the contract situation of Paul Reed, which means Jenkins rise may be forcing the front office to think several moves ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Already Have One Early Reason To Feel Better About Collins
The Pistons decision to swap Tobias Harris out and John Collins in at power forward already looks easier to understand in early-season context. Harris, now 34, still has not played this season because of a calf strain, and it has only sharpened the questions that were already hanging over his durability as Detroit weighed its options in free agency.
Collins was never just about talent for the Pistons, either. The appeal was always tied to his availability and the flexibility of his contract, even with the age concern that comes with adding another veteran. For a team trying to stabilize that spot, simply having a player on the floor has been a useful early reminder of why Detroit made the move. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Suddenly Face A Trade Deadline Decision Fans Can't Ignore
Detroits strong 7-3 start has changed the conversation around the franchise in a hurry. With a healthy stash of draft capital and expiring contracts in hand, the Pistons are in position to be more than patient observers ahead of the Feb. 11 trade deadline. They have put themselves in the mix in the Eastern Conference, and the front office now has to weigh whether to keep building organically or use those assets to accelerate the timeline.
The need is fairly clear: secondary scoring and frontcourt depth would both help a team trying to keep pace with Boston and Philadelphia. Names such as John Collins, Duncan Robinson and Naz Reid have already surfaced as possible fits, which tells you the market is starting to take shape around Detroits needs. The bigger question is how aggressive the Pistons want to be, because the right move could help them chase the top of the standings, while the wrong one could cost them the flexibility that got them here. [Read more 🡒]