The Hawks just traded away franchise point guard Trae Young, but the Pistons had no interest thanks to Daniss Jenkins. The Pistons obviously have their franchise superstar in Cade Cunningham, but Daniss Jenkins’ emergence as a quality backup has added more depth. Jenkins’ strong play has helped the Pistons completely avoid the possibility of making a disastrous big trade.
Daniss Jenkins is a legit point guard
In the Pistons’ most recent win over the Bulls, Jenkins shined as the de facto point guard. With Cade sitting out, Jenkins took over playmaking responsibilities for a career-high 15 assists. His passing helped highlight the Pistons’ depth which has served them so well this season.
Even without their top 3 leading scorers (Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris joined Cade in street clothes) the Pistons’ offense was humming thanks to Jenkins. It was a major statement for the two-way guard and proved that he can be effective even when he’s not hitting his shots. In fact, Jenkins only scored 2 points on 1-of-8 shooting but was still one of the best players on the court.
The Pistons are firmly built around Cunningham as their starting point guard of the present and future. But questions about their playmaking outside of him have led to speculation about getting another high-level point guard for additional depth. Fortunately, they seem to have found one for cheap in Jenkins.
He allowed them to stay completely removed from the Trae Young saga before he was finally traded to the Wizards. It was a definite positive for the Pistons because Young comes with plenty of flaws in his defense and contract. Adding him, even without giving up much in return, could have created new holes in the team.
Instead, the Pistons stay pat with their current roster and continue to evaluate their young guards next to Cunningham. Jenkins isn’t perfect but he’s shown the ability to give the Pistons what they need at backup point guard. He’s been a potent shooter all season long, and his newly displayed playmaking brings extra offensive upside. Unlike Young, Jenkins can also play solid defense from the guard position.
Getting a star guard like Trae Young was never in the cards for the Pistons. Their incredible depth has given them confidence to navigate the trade market without any desperation. The Pistons might still have their flaws as a team but they are comfortable with their roster if no desirable trade pops up.
Jenkins and other role players have stepped up and given the Pistons so much extra leverage. If another team doesn’t want to negotiate to the Pistons’ level, they can simply proceed with the team that’s risen to first in the East. It’ll help them avoid any rash trades that could come back to haunt them in the future.