The Detroit Pistons have a brewing position battle with an unorthodox element at play. Daniss Jenkins is looking the part of the high-level shot creator they need next to Cade Cunningham, but starting him would mean benching one of two players who he wouldn't exactly be a perfect fit to replace: John Collins or Duncan Robinson.
In order for Jenkins to make that transition to the starting lineup, however, he must prove that his jump shot can be trusted. The awkward truth: He's starting to make it a conversation.
Over the past four games, Jenkins has taken significant pressure off of Cunningham with his scoring and playmaking. That started when he posted 15 points and five assists in a win over the Miami Heat and continued when he tallied 18 points and six dimes in a win against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Jenkins continued his impressive volume scoring with double-digit nights in each of the next two games, which has played a key part in Detroit overcoming Jalen Duren's injury absence.
The most recent example was Jenkins posting 14 points and three assists in an Oct. 28 win over the Charlotte Hornets. He not only stepped up with quality production, but was on the court to close out the game with key plays on either end of the floor.
If that's a sign of things to come, then Jenkins becoming a starter could be a logical next step for the Pistons to take—even if the player he's battling with for a starting role is unclear.
Daniss Jenkins is playing his way into a prominent role—in the starting 5?
To be clear, Jenkins doesn't need to become a generational shooter like Robinson or an elite medium-volume option like Collins from beyond the arc. He needs to be reliable, however, if he's going to make a backcourt pairing with Cunningham work.
To put it simply: Ausar Thompson is already a non-shooter in the starting lineup and Cunningham is a downhill scorer who needs space to operate. Jenkins would thus compromise the flow of the offense if he can't consistently shoot.
Furthermore, benching Collins or Robinson for Jenkins would effectively entail overhauling the system. Collins is a 6'9" power forward who offer value on the glass and as an interior scorer, while Robinson is a 6'7" wing whose size offers a natural deterrent even if he isn't a high-level defender. Jenkins, meanwhile, is a 6'4" guard.
Jenkins' shot-creating and playmaking abilities are the great equalizer, but they'll only be a fit for a new-look starting lineup if he can shoot with efficiency. In saying that, he's making it a debate.
It's also posed important questions about whether or not the shot creator Cunningham needs as a complement is already on the roster. Jenkins has effectively provided what Jaden Ivey was meant to as a combo guard who can create for himself and others.
Considering Cunningham was the Pistons' only perimeter player who averaged even 13.5 points or 4.0 assists per game last season, that's a pivotal void to fill.
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