The Detroit Pistons are already being counted out. Despite being the best regular-season team in the Eastern Conference last season and winning 60 games, the Pistons are not given much of a chance to contend next season. Once again, fans and the media have given their attention to the new, shiny objects in the league, forgetting all about the Pistons because they didn't make a splashy move this summer.
Sure, the East will be stronger next season. Detroit may not win as many games as they did last season, even if they maintain their level of play. But there are a couple of ways they can overperform. They have a few X-factors on their roster who can make them contenders.
Daniss Jenkins
The Pistons were able to add more shooting this summer, but didn't address their ball-handling needs. They are still low on shot creators outside of Cade Cunningham. This puts Daniss Jenkins in a key role once again.
Last season, Jenkins emerged out of nowhere and established himself as a rotation-caliber guard. He ended up playing extended minutes in the playoffs as the Pistons were desperately looking for more dribbling and playmaking. This will be the case for Detroit once again, barring a major, unexpected trade.
Jenkins should still be the primary creator off the bench. He has done a marvelous job in Cade Cunningham's absence last season, but he wasn't consistent throughout the season. His shot waxed and waned, and he had stretches where he struggled with efficiency. In a season where he will play next to Cunningham more and will be trusted with more playmaking duties, Jenkins has to be better. He will be one of the biggest swing factors for the Pistons' offense.
Kevin Huerter
Detroit's decision to give Huerter a three-year, $27 million deal was highly questionable. Huerter hasn't played at a level worthy of that deal in at least two years.
But if he can go back to his form from earlier in his career, Huerter could be a valuable piece for the Pistons.
In the first five seasons of his career, the veteran shooting guard hit 2.2 threes per game on 38.5% from downtown. He had shown flashes of intriguing passing and playmaking. Thanks to his decent positional size, he is not hopeless defensively, either.
In his age-28 season, Huerter can hopefully rediscover that form. If he can, his off-ball gravity and complementary playmaking should help the Pistons. If he can't, then the Pistons will be looking for an upgrade in his spot at the trade deadline.
Ron Holland
It's time for Holland to fulfill his potential in his third year in the NBA. Even though the former fifth-overall pick hasn't been able to make a big impact so far, he has shown enough flashes to still be optimistic about his outlook. The Pistons have made an effort to hold onto him all summer, and Holland will try to pay them back for their trust.
At age 21, Holland still has some upside. But to hit that upside in Detroit, he has to show significant improvement in multiple areas. The most notable of those is obviously shooting. On a team that has Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren (presumably) and limited shooting, Holland doesn't have an obvious place. His presence creates significant spacing issues in the halfcourt.
This means that Holland has to find a way to be effective in the half-court. Whether it's through becoming a passable shooter, a dangerous cutter, or a solid passer/playmaker, Holland needs to make himself an average offensive player at the very least. Otherwise, his defense alone isn't going to be enough to get him on the court.
A versatile wing who can guard multiple positions and make enough plays offensively is hard to find. So, if Holland can take a step forward and prove that he can be that type of player, he could give the Pistons a big boost.
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