The Detroit Pistons will have to continue working on an offer that fits Daniss Jenkins’ value
The emergence of Daniss Jenkins from second-year, two-way hopeful to nightly contributor for the Detroit Pistons is one of the top feel-good stories in the NBA this season.
Jenkins, who broke onto the scene last year for the G-League’s Motor City Cruise, has earned a spot on the Pistons for the rest of the season according to head coach J.B. Bickerstaff through his useful combination of poise, ball handling, pace, perimeter shooting and defensive willingness. Those qualities have endeared the rising guard to his coach, and they’ve also sparked debate on how Detroit plans to fit Jenkins into their lineup for the rest of the year.
Right now, Jenkins is quickly playing out the final five games of eligibility before his contract must be converted, requiring the Pistons to free up a roster spot in short order. Last night after defeating the Golden State Warriors by a 131-124 margin, Bickerstaff dispelled any concern that Jenkins would find himself as the odd man out in Detroit going forward.
“He’ll be available, there’s no doubt about that," Bickerstaff said. "Obviously, those are Trajan final decisions in how they work that out, but I think he’s earned a spot on this roster and he’s proved he can help us win. Him being out there allows us to have a ball handler out there and put Cade in different spots. His ability to defend multiple positions and make shots, so it’s a good fit and just adds to the versatility.”
But earlier today, Marc Stein reported that Jenkins was recently offered a two-year contract at the veteran minimum level. Jenkins reportedly declined the offer, so he will proceed into the offseason as a free agent.
With the NBA Trade Deadline approaching quickly, the Pistons are faced with an opportune moment to tinker with the roster in a fashion that would free up a spot for Jenkins during the second half of the regular season. It is no secret that the Pistons struggle from three-point range, and perimeter shooting has remained Detroit’s primary cause for concern this year. So, if Detroit pursues a deal to shore up their outside efficiency then perhaps Jenkins could move into the rotation permanently pending a couple outgoing players courtesy of Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon.
Though he’s preached pragmatism for much of the regular season, Langdon is no stranger to making small modifications to his squad that end up paying dividends down the road. Last year, Langdon cut a deal for Dennis Schroder, and the veteran point guard played an important role in Detroit’s eventual postseason push.
And along those lines, Bickerstaff mentioned that the NBA landscape has actually favored success from new teams over the last several seasons. Given the relative parity and lack of long-term dynasties over the past half decade, the Pistons now find themselves in the unique position to fully go all-in at the deadline for a secondary scorer with perimeter gravity that could push Detroit over the top.
“You look over the past five or six years and there’s been a new champion every year,” Bickerstaff said before facing Golden State. “I think that’s great for the league because it puts pressure on teams to go for it because the opportunity is there.”
Bickerstaff could have been sending a message to the Pistons front office with that message, but he is also speaking the truth. The NBA is littered with parity at the moment as the league undergoes a changing of the guard from the LeBron James and Steph Curry era to the Anthony Edwards and Wemby era.
Right now, Cade Cunningham is working to insert his name in that discussion, and Detroit’s ability to add a perimeter shooter at the deadline while opening up a spot for Daniss Jenkins to play full-time would go a long way in helping Cade accomplish that goal. The Pistons have looked a bit top-heavy given their reliance on points in the paint this year, so the addition of another strong three-point shooter would help elevate Detroit from their present-day position at No. 21 in the league from behind the arc.
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