Jaden Ivey has been plagued by injury trouble all throughout 2025. But now that he's playing consistently again and his minutes are beginning to tick up as he continues to come off the bench, the Detroit Pistons must continue to start Duncan Robinson even as Ivey presumably returns to the starting five.
This has everything to do with the floor spacing and shooting gravity that Robinson brings to Detroit's starting group. It would be a shock if Ivey doesn't become a starter once again in short order, and that would obviously mean someone would have to move to the bench. The Pistons just have to make sure that player doesn't become Duncan.
Robinson has started all but two games for Detroit this season, and he's been putting together quite a campaign. His sharpshooting has injected just the kind of off-ball scorer the Pistons needed, and has opened up the offense in a meaningful way. Without him in the starting unit, opponents aren't going to be required to respect this team from outside nearly as much.
Duncan Robinson belongs in the starting lineup
The spacing matters that much more given how Detroit’s offense is built. Cade Cunningham is at his best when he has clear driving lanes and predictable kickout reads, and Robinson’s presence forces the defense to adjust in ways few shooters can. Defenders stay glued to him well beyond the arc, which creates extra space for Cade to operate and for Jalen Duren to roll hard to the rim.
This doesn't mean Ivey can't play a major role too, of course. Ivey’s downhill pressure is still valuable, but pairing it with lineups that already lack shooting would invite defenses to collapse and dare Detroit to make shots. Keeping Robinson with the starters will help to stabilize the offense early.
There's also a defensive argument to be made. Robinson isn't much of a stopper, but the Pistons have looked more connected defensively when their offensive spacing allows them to get set. Live-ball turnovers and rushed shots have been a major issue in losses, and Robinson’s ability to punish help defense discourages some of those gambles from the opposition. That indirectly helps Detroit’s transition defense.
If the Pistons want to be serious about continuing to build sustainable habits around Cade, this is a pretty easy choice. Robinson belongs with the starters, even when Ivey is fully ready to reclaim a starting role. Detroit can still find ways to feature Ivey, but sacrificing the spacing that's fueled some of their best basketball would be a step backward.