Pistons send loud message to best NBA players on the fringes

The Detroit Pistons are developing players on the fringes of the NBA, which will help them draw future talent from overlooked areas. 

The biggest win is clearly Daniss Jenkins, who went from undrafted free agent, to two-way player, to key part of the rotation as the backup point guard. His success allowed the Pistons to part ways with Jaden Ivey, who will likely make more next season than the entirety of Jenkins’ next contract. 

Consistently finding talent outside of the first round is key to sustained success, as it allows teams to pay their stars at the top and still have impact players at the tail-end of the payroll. 

Jenkins isn’t the only one, as the Pistons also made a curious roster move that now looks like an advertisement for future players looking for a place where they will get a chance to develop. 

The Pistons want to be the home of unearthed gems 

Jenkins is one of the best stories in the NBA this season and arguably one of the best players to ever play on a two-way, but Detroit has made other smart decisions.

The Pistons made a curious move just before the deadline, which was to allow Isaac Jones’ contract to become fully guaranteed. They eventually waived him and then signed him to the two-way spot vacated by Jenkins when he got a full-time deal.

They could have waived him earlier and saved some money, but instead rewarded Jones, a guy who has NBA experience already. The Pistons obviously saw something they liked and decided to show that to Jones by paying him when they didn’t have to, which will send a message to future developmental players. 

The Pistons will never be a top free-agent destination, as they play in a cold state that has a state income tax, but it won’t matter nearly as much if they can develop cheap talent in house, which is clearly what they are trying to do. 

The Jones payout was a smart move that other fringe players will notice, and hopefully Detroit will get a reputation as a place where undervalued talent can thrive, which in turn will help them attract more of the best players in this tier. 

JB Bickerstaff has also shown a willingness to run a big rotation, at least in the regular season, which opens up more opportunities for two-way players and fringe guys when there are injuries, as we have seen in Detroit this season.  It's not just the two-way guys, as veterans Javonte Green and Paul Reed have found new life with the Pistons with more opportunity.

There were plenty of fans who were not impressed with the moves (or lack of them) Trajan Langdon made at the deadline, but he is looking to build sustained success in nuanced ways, not just by making splashy trades or free agent acquisitions. 

It may not be as sexy, but dominating the fringes will help that cause, and Langdon has done it so far and is setting the Pistons up for more in the future.