As expected, the Detroit Pistons had a largely uneventful NBA trade deadline.
Jaden Ivey was the only rotation player to be traded, the Pistons receiving Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric in return from the Chicago Bulls. While the return may not seem like much, the writing was on the wall for Ivey as he became expendable with Daniss Jenkins' emergence and the team playing very well in his absence. The Pistons had to waive Isaac Jones as an ensuing move to make room for Saric, but the team has stayed the same otherwise.
What should Pistons fans expect in terms of rotation for the rest of the way?
Projected Pistons Depth Chart After NBA Trade Deadline
PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cade Cunningham | Duncan Robinson | Ausar Thompson | Tobias Harris | Jalen Duren |
Daniss Jenkins | Caris LeVert | Ron Holland | Javonte Green | Isaiah Stewart |
Marcus Sasser | Kevin Huerter | Dario Saric | Paul Reed |
When everyone is healthy, the Pistons have had the same starting lineup all season: Cade Cunningham-Duncan Robinson-Ausar Thompson-Tobias Harris-Jalen Duren. That is unlikely to change in the final two months of the regular season. How the rest of the rotation will shake out, however, is more of a question.
Besides Isaiah Stewart, no bench player has had a consistently big role for head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Javonte Green, Caris LeVert, and Ron Holland all average around 20 minutes per game, but their playing time can fluctuate depending on the matchup and how well they are performing. Stewart is the clear sixth man on the team, and the other three make up the top nine of the rotation.
This is where things get interesting. Daniss Jenkins continues to play well as the backup point guard, but he remains without a guaranteed contract. Detroit still has to open a roster spot by waiving Saric, Bobi Klintman, or Chaz Lanier, so that they can sign Jenkins to a new contract. Otherwise, he doesn't have any more eligibility to play in the regular season.
When Jenkins wasn't allowed to play against the Washington Wizards on Thursday, Marcus Sasser took over his role. The third-year player should continue in his role as the third-string point guard the rest of the way.
How Kevin Huerter fits in will be fascinating. Bickerstaff has used a ten-man rotation for most of the season, and teams rarely give 11 players rotation minutes. At the same time, the Pistons desperately need more shooting, and Huerter, at least on paper, can shoot the ball. Especially since Detroit gave up Ivey to acquire Huerter, one has to assume that he will at least get a look in limited minutes off the bench.
Reed will remain as an overqualified third-string center. The two of Saric, Klintman, and Lanier who end up staying with the Pistons will be end-of-bench depth pieces rarely used outside of garbage time.