The Detroit Pistons open the 2025-26 season tonight in Chicago and will have to do it without a backup point guard.
Jaden Ivey has been ruled out for at least four weeks after suffering a knee injury in training camp, a huge blow to the Pistons’ starting five and to Ivey’s chance of getting a long-term contract with the team.
Marcus Sasser is listed as doubtful with a hip impingement, so he too will likely start the season on the bench. He’s also got a contract situation hanging over him, as the Pistons have until the end of the month to pick up his team option for next season, which doesn’t seem likely given that it comes with a big pay raise.
Newcomer Caris LeVert, who is also expected to handle some of the ball handling duties, is listed as probable with knee soreness, so the Pistons will start the season with a glaring weakness put on display.
Who is the Detroit Pistons’ backup point guard?
This is a question even if the Pistons are at full strength, as Ivey, Sasser and LeVert aren’t really point guards, and with two of them possibly out, coach JB BIckerstaff will have to get creative when Cade Cunningham is on the bench.
I’d guess we’ll see Cade play heavy minutes in this first week, which isn’t ideal, but someone is going to have to take over when he gets a rest.
That’s likely to be LeVert as long as he can go tonight, but this was a role the Pistons were expecting to be filled by a combination of Ivey and Sasser.
This will be a chance for two-way player Daniss Jenkins, who played well in the preseason in a featured role that was now obviously a way to get him as much time as possible, as the Pistons clearly knew Ivey wasn’t likely to be ready.
Jenkins has shown he can competently run an offense and get buckets in a variety of ways, so this will be his chance to displace Marcus Sasser on the depth chart and get himself a full-time deal.
We’ll also likely see Ausar Thompson get increased reps running the offense, which is a part of his game Pistons fans are most eager to see, as it would raise his ceiling as a player and put him closer to his twin brother.
It’s not the way the Pistons wanted to start the season but the absence of Ivey and Sasser will create opportunities for other players that they need to sieze.