The Detroit Pistons are one of the biggest storylines in the NBA through the first four weeks of the season. After winning ten straight games, the Pistons are the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 12-2 record. Cade Cunningham's rise to the MVP level, Jalen Duren's case for the Most Improved Player of the Year award, and the Pistons' having the second-best defensive rating in the NBA have all been very important in Detroit's rise. But perhaps no storyline has been more unexpected and impressive than the emergence of Daniss Jenkins.
Jenkins began the season on a two-way contract and on the fringes of the rotation with the Pistons. He gradually cemented himself as an important part of the rotation and eventually took the starting spot in Cade Cunningham's absence, and led the Pistons to three straight wins without their superstar. In his last four games, Jenkins averaged 21.8 points and 7.8 assists on 48.6/47.6/87.5 shooting splits in 35 minutes per game. The Pistons won his minutes in every single game of that stretch and were +41 with him on the floor.
The 24-year-old combo guard will obviously not continue to play at this level, especially after Cunningham's return, but he has clearly established himself as a high-level rotation option. He is on a heater like no other and is playing with the utmost confidence. It's only a matter of time before the Pistons sign him to a guaranteed contract, but they will have to shuffle things around as they currently don't have an open roster spot.
Daniss Jenkins' Rise May Lead to Jaden Ivey's Exit
The most interesting aspect of Jenkins' emergence, however, is what it means for Jaden Ivey. The Pistons couldn't agree to an extension with Ivey before the season, and the 23-year-old guard will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season. He hasn't played in an NBA regular-season game since January 1, 2025, and remains sidelined after undergoing arthroscopic surgery in the offseason. He is getting closer to his initially announced return date, but what role he will have in the red-hot Pistons remains to be seen.
Jenkins is obviously not the elite athlete with the lightning-speed quickness and first step that Ivey is, but he can do a lot of the things that Ivey does. He creates shots for himself and others, can score in a variety of ways, and has good positional size. If Jenkins is going to give the Pistons high-level guard play on a huge bargain deal once he signs his guaranteed deal, Ivey becomes expendable.
Caris LeVert is having a nice season as a playmaker off the bench for the Pistons. Jenkins is a solid secondary creator. Cade Cunningham can play a ton of minutes. How desperately do the 12-2 Pistons need Ivey and his offense?
Ivey is a very talented young player and has a ton of upside. He can certainly make a strong case for himself as a crucial part of this team going forward. At the same time, Jalen Duren is playing himself into a massive contract extension over the summer, making it hard for the Pistons to find enough money for Ivey in the offseason. Barring an unexpected turn of events, it may be getting harder and harder for Ivey's future to be in Detroit.