The Detroit Pistons are 7-3. Given that they have been without Jalen Duren for essentially the entire season, it has been a successful start to the season. The offense looks improved, and the defense is as good as it was last season. But how has each individual player fared so far? Keeping in mind the expectations for each of them, let's evaluate each rotation player's start to the season.
Cade Cunningham: B+
It hasn't been the most productive or efficient start to the season for Cade, but he has been rock solid once again. He hasn't had to go off in any single game so far, and he has mostly been on cruise control. It's great news that the Pistons have been able to keep him at 33 minutes per game so far.
Cunningham's numbers will climb, but so far he hasn't been a true MVP candidate. His two-way impact and leadership, however, remain elite.
Ausar Thompson: B
Thompson has picked up where he left off last season. He is once again one of the best defenders in the league, but his offensive game has left plenty to be desired. He is handling the ball more and creating more for his teammates, but he is still not a shooting or scoring threat. He has been far too passive in too many games for his grade to be any higher than this.
Duncan Robinson: A+
Not only has he been the best offensive player for the Pistons so far, but he has also been one of the best offensive players in the league through ten games. He has been incredibly efficient with 68.4% True Shooting, on the back of 45.7% shooting from downtown on a whopping 9.2 attempts per game.
There will be some regression to the mean, but Robinson has been incredible and is arguably the biggest reason for the Pistons' early-season offensive success.
John Collins: C
Collins has been frustratingly inconsistent. He has had a few big scoring games, but he has had a few too many duds. His defensive effort has largely been there, and he is giving the Pistons some solid small-ball center minutes. But the Pistons were certainly expecting more when they signed him. So far, he hasn't been an upgrade over Tobias Harris.
Daniss Jenkins: A-
Jenkins continues to be a little inconsistent, but he has been much better this season than he was last year. He is shooting the ball well, isn't turning it over a ton, and has been a perfect fit next to Cade Cunningham in the backcourt. The defense is not always the best, but it's never for lack of effort or intensity.
Paul Reed: A
What a luxury it is to have a player like Reed as your backup center. Regardless of whether he plays ten minutes or 30 minutes per game, Reed always shows up. In Jalen Duren's absence, he has stepped up seamlessly, providing quality minutes for Detroit. He can be undersized and foul-prone in certain matchups, but he is undoubtedly one of the best reserve bigs in the league.
Kevin Huerter: B+
After a slow start to the season, Huerter has come into his own over the last week. He continues to have JB Bickerstaff's trust, and it's finally paying off. He has started to make his threes, and he has been a revelation defensively. He is averaging almost one steal and one block per game. He destroyed his previous career-high in blocks with five against the Lakers.
Javonte Green: B
Green is as reliable as they come. He isn't setting the world on fire, but he continues to give Detroit a solid 15-20 minutes per game. His shot isn't falling so far as he is 11/37 from downtown for the season, but he is still a net positive.
Ron Holland: D+
Unfortunately, Year 3 Ron Holland isn't much different from Year 1 and 2 Ron Holland. The 21-year-old small forward has been the most disappointing Piston through the first ten games of the season.
Holland's true shooting percentage has tanked all the way down to 47.5. He has a career-high turnover rate and career-low points per game. His defense is still very good, but he fouls too much and makes too many mistakes, leading to inconsistent playing time.
Isaiah Joe, Jalen Duren: Incomplete
Joe has played only 42, and Duren only 38. Once they return from their respective injuries (hopefully, and reportedly, in the next ten days), we can better evaluate them.
Add us as a preferred source on Google