Daniss Jenkins is having a breakout year for the Detroit Pistons, which could mean the end for Marcus Sasser in the Motor City.
Sasser has been largely forgotten this season, as he wasn’t penciled in for a big role anyway, but has yet to step on the court because of an ongoing hip injury that will have him sidelined for at least another month.
It’s a shame for Sasser, as he would have had a shot at real rotation minutes with injuries to Jaden Ivey, Caris LeVert and now Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson to start the season.
Instead, Jenkins has stepped into a starting role and been amazing for the Pistons, averaging 21.8 points, 7.8 assists and 4.3 rebounds with solid shooting splits in big minutes over the last four games. That role isn’t going to be there for him forever, but he’s proven himself enough to have a spot in the rotation.
Detroit Pistons rotation: Marcus Sasser is the odd man out
Once Cade Cunningham is back, Jenkins will likely slide into the backup point guard role, at least until Jaden Ivey returns.
Sasser will likely be the last one to come back from injury unless Ivey has a setback (knock on wood), and by then, the Pistons should be at or near full strength.
Sasser was already going to be fighting for rotation scraps as a 10th man at best, and now he is behind Jenkins and maybe even rookie Chaz Lanier in the pecking order.
The Pistons gave Sasser a vote of confidence by picking up his team option for next season, but that jumps up to over $5 million, which will likely be more than Jenkins and Lanier make combined.
That may mean Sasser’s time in Detroit is limited, as they aren’t going to pay that much for a guy who isn’t in the rotation or whose production can be had for a fraction of the cost.
Sasser will eventually find a home somewhere, as he’s proven he can score at the NBA level, but it may not be in Detroit, where production is being found in unexpected places.
It’s too bad Sasser is not healthy, as he’d at least be getting a chance to showcase himself after having a solid season as a spot backup last year.
We also can’t assume health, especially not in a season that has already seen a rash of injuries to key players. Sasser may yet have a role to play, as we never know what things will look like in another month.
I’m sure he is still planning to contribute to this team, but Sasser’s future in Detroit has never been murkier.