There was considerable worry last offseason that the Detroit Pistons would regress after losing key veterans Tim Hardaway Jr., Malik Beasley and Dennis Schroder. Instead, the Pistons are sitting at 12-2, in first place in the Eastern Conference and riding a 10-game winning streak.
The backup point guard position was certainly an area of worry, as Schroder was important for the Pistons last season as a secondary ball handler who could give Cade Cunningham a break. Schroder took care of the ball, made some big shots and did what he’s been doing for most of his long career.
Unlike THJ and Beasley, there wasn’t a clear replacement for Schroder, but the Pistons look to have found one in Daniss Jenkins, who has been outstanding in a much larger role than he was expected to play.
I am a big fan of Schroder and lobbied the team for years to acquire him, but I’m not missing him right now, and neither are the Pistons.
Dannis Jenkins is having a breakout season
Schroder has been flat-out bad for the Kings so far this season and has already been benched after a cold shooting start. Schroder’s counting stats don’t look bad for a backup, as he’s scoring 12 a game with six assists and 3.6 rebounds, but then you remember he’s their starter and he’s shooting 40 percent from the floor and just 34 percent from long range.
Meanwhile, two-way player Daniss Jenkins, who is making a fraction of what Schroder is making, is averaging 11.6 points, 4.1 assists and two rebounds, but much like Schroder, those numbers don’t tell the whole story.
Jenkins has been on fire the last four games when he has to play more because of injuries, averaging 21.8 points, 7.8 assists and 4.3 rebounds in that stretch. He’s also shooting over 48 percent from the floor for the season and an unbelievable 48 percent from long range on nearly three attempts per game.
Jenkins is a similar type of player as Schroder, as he likes to break down a defense, penetrate and look for his own shot.
Jenkins is also showing how important it is to hit on the fringe players, something Trajan Langdon has done repeatedly since taking over as team president.
Jenkins is on a two-way deal that pays him practically nothing, while Schroder signed a three year/$45 million contract with the Kings that immediately looked bad.
As much as I liked Schroder last season, there is no way the Pistons could invest that much in a backup point guard.
And they didn’t have to, as they may have found their guy in Jenkins, who is not only playing well, but doing it on a two-way deal.