Guard Daniss Jenkins has stepped up over the past several games and is coming through for the Pistons. In the absence of their top star, he has found another gear, proving that he belongs on this tough-as-nails roster. He’s also proving to the doubters that this team does not rest on the laurels of one player, and that everyone on this roster is hungry for the postseason. Jenkins is the kind of player who defines what Detroit is all about.
Daniss Jenkins is Coming Through for the Pistons in a Big Way
Jenkins went undrafted in 2024 and was picked up by the Pistons on a two-way contract. After spending most of his first season in the G League on the Motor City Cruise, he started getting more opportunities on the main roster this season. That culminated in his two-way being converted to a standard contract in February.
Unfortunately, Jenkins’ sophomore season has been anything but stellar aside from the last few weeks. He’s been rather inconsistent, waffling between surprisingly good and borderline abysmal. There have been many times when fans and pundits alike questioned why Jenkins was given a standard contract in the first place. In some games, it’s been confusing why he’s gotten as many minutes as he has.
To be fair to Jenkins, he’s only in his second season in the league. On top of that, he’s never played a full season on any NBA roster, let alone one as competitive as the Pistons. Detroit fans can be pretty tough on their players. That what makes Jenkins’ recent emergence so impressive.
Jenkins Finds His Rhythm in Cunningham’s Absence
A couple of weeks ago, Cade Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung against the Washington Wizards, sidelining him ever since. The Pistons said Thursday that he will be re-evaluated in one week, potentially missing the rest of the regular season. The goal is for Cunningham to be back for the playoffs, which is a likely scenario unless something drastic happens.
Speculation after the injury was that the Pistons were done for without Cunningham. Instead, they have continued their winning ways in his absence. The Pistons have declined slightly on offense without Cunningham, but have picked up the pace on defense to accommodate. Jenkins and Jalen Duren have been key to maintaining their rhythm.
Duren picking up the slack hasn’t been a huge surprise. He’s been great all season, to the point that he made his first All-Star appearance this year. The real surprise has been Jenkins. Since Cunningham’s injury, he’s scored in double-digits in all but one game, picked up a solid double-double, scored a career-high 30 points, and has improved his numbers across the board. This next level gear he’s found on the court is the definition of coming through for the team.
New and Improved Jenkins Should Scare Detroit’s Playoff Opponents
There’s no doubt that the Pistons have a good team going into the playoffs. Led by the duo of Cunningham and Duren, this is a roster with an impressive amount of firepower as well as underrated depth on the bench. They might not be title contenders this year, but Detroit is poised for a deeper playoff run than some give them credit for.
Looking at the player Jenkins has become in Cunningham’s absence, everyone might want to start taking the Pistons more seriously. When Cunningham returns, Detroit will be back to full strength. Well, at least compared to where they were before his lung injury. With Jenkins operating at this level, that means the Pistons are suddenly a lot more dangerous. If he can continue the type of performances he’s been laying down the last ten games, he’s going to be a nightmare for other teams to deal with.
Up until now, the Pistons have been doing well with the one-two punch of Cunningham and Duren. Jenkins has the potential to keep coming through in the playoffs the way he has this late in the regular season. He could very well be a postseason game-changer for Detroit.
© Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
