The Detroit Pistons have a potential position battle for minutes as the backup point guard. The top two candidates appear to be the returning Daniss Jenkins and rookie slasher Ebuka Okorie. In the end, there's a decent chance that only one of the two will receive consistent minutes.
The most ideal outcome from this battle, however, is for Jenkins and Okorie to push one another to be better and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff to find minutes for both, thus providing Cade Cunningham with the shot creation support he desperately needs.
Cunningham was the only Detroit player to average at least 20.0 points per game in 2025-26, as well as one of just two players to average more than 13.3 points per contest. At 9.9, he was also the only Piston who averaged at least 4.0 assists per outing.
As if that weren't enough, Cunningham's 15.5 drives per game made him the only Pistons player over 10.0 and one of just two at 6.0 or higher. Jenkins was the other.
Detroit was active in addressing this issue when it traded up to select Ebuka Okorie at No. 17 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. Jenkins is still a key piece of the proverbial puzzle, however, as well as perhaps the most proven slasher and playmaker on the roster after Cunningham.
With this in mind, the Pistons should be hoping for one outcome from the position battle for the backup point guard role: Jenkins and Okorie learning to play alongside one another and Cunningham alike.
Pistons need Daniss Jenkins and Ebuka Okorie to both break out
Jenkins is building from a solid foundation after ranking second on the Pistons in drives per game at 7.5 and assists per contest at 3.9. He did so in just 20.2 minutes per game, with his numbers translating to 16.6 points, 6.9 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 1.8 three-point field goals made, and 13.3 drives per 36 minutes.
For as intriguing as that all may be, Jenkins shot just 38.5 percent on drives and converted just 42.6 percent of his two-point field goals.
Okorie, meanwhile, enters the NBA with the hype of a dynamic shot creator and potential three-level scoring threat. His playmaking profile is fairly confusing, as his film reveals passing proficiency and a score-first mentality that may not make him ideally suited for a playmaking role.
Equipped with a 6'7.75" wingspan and the momentum from averaging 23.2 points on .465/.354/.832 shooting as a true freshman, Okorie's potential still speaks for itself. Unfortunately, so does the fact that he's never played an NBA game.
Pistons need Daniss Jenkins to improve, Ebuka Okorie to adapt
The good news for Jenkins is that he's ideally quipped to fill three vital voids in the rotation. For one, his volume as a three-point shooter makes him an ideal fit next to Cunningham—one of the best downhill playmakers in the NBA.
The other key areas are his playmaking, which can help simplify the game for Cunningham, and his slashing—inefficient as it may be. If Jenkins can improve his efficiency, however, then he could play a major role in 2026-27.
As for Okorie, all the Pistons truly need from him is to see enough to justify keeping him on the court. It's to be expected that a rookie will make mistakes, but if he can simply put pressure on opposing defenses, that can buy Cunningham precious time to rest and even allow Detroit to see how the two fit together in certain lineup structures.
Jenkins and Okorie may seemingly be competing for the same role, but if they both succeed, then they should both get considerable minutes—and the Pistons should finally have multiple sources of shot creation and playmaking.
If they fail to do so, however, then Cunningham will be overburdened once again and the Pistons' dream of winning a title will be far more difficult to realize.
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