One of the bigger surprises for the surging Detroit Pistons this season hasn’t been that two-way guard Daniss Jenkins has proved to be a solid pick up after going undrafted in 2024.
It’s the fact that Jenkins has fully broken into the rotation of the first-place Pistons to become one of the top choices at point guard behind star Cade Cunningham.
Being on a two-way contract, Jenkins is limited to 50 active games with the Pistons before he would need to be put on a standard contract in order to be available for the rest of the season and for the postseason.
The question has been looming what the Pistons will do with Jenkins, who has now used 47 of his games, but coach J.B. Bickerstaff is direct that he’s not going anywhere.
“He’ll be available, there’s no doubt about that,” Bickerstaff said after Detroit’s 131-134 win over Golden State on Friday. “Obviously, those are (president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon) final decisions and how they work that out, but I think he’s earned a spot on this roster, and he’s proven that he can help us win.
“Him being out there allows us to have a ball handler out there and put Cade in different spots, his ability to defend multiple positions, and make shots. It’s a good fit, and it just adds to the versatility.”
Jenkins, 24, showed flashes of his talent during NBA Summer League and certainly figured to have more than his seven games of experience last year as a rookie two-way option.
But early injuries to the lineup resulted in Jenkins taking on a major role less than a month into the season. He had a breakout 24-point performance off the bench in an overtime win over the Washington Wizards.
Two nights later, Jenkins made his first career start and posted 18 points and 12 assists in 30 minutes to help the Pistons beat the Chicago Bulls.
He’s seen fluctuation in his minutes as the team got healthier and as Bickerstaff started tinkering with the rotation. But January has seen him solidify his place as both an energy player to lead the second unit off the bench and sometimes a partner for Cunningham in the backcourt.
For the month, Jenkins averaged 9.4 points, 4.9 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 44% from beyond the arc in just over 20 minutes per game.
Jenkins isn’t immune to the struggles of his first true season in the NBA. He had one of his worst shooting performances with a recent 0-for-8 effort against the Denver Nuggets.
But he plays with the type of passion on both ends of the court that fits Bickerstaff’s style perfectly and have placed him on the verge of signing his first standard contract.
“For me, this was my goal. Being undrafted, you obviously wanna work and get that first contract, get to that standard contract just to show that,” Jenkins said after scoring 12 points in Friday’s game. “I’ve been saying that I belong in this league, a long time ago when I did my first Summer League, and I knew it’d come true. I just needed an opportunity, and that’s what this organization gave me, so I’m just looking forward to the day.
“That’s a big goal for me, a big accomplishment, so I’m just excited to see what happens. I feel like I’ma be around here for the rest of the year for sure, so we’ll see when that thing comes. I’m happy and I’m blessed.”
In order for the former St. John’s guard to join the 15-man roster, the Pistons will have to make some tough decisions.
Detroit will either need to waive a current player or make a trade — with the upcoming Feb. 5 trade deadline coinciding with Jenkins’ 50th game — to open up a spot for him.
A likely candidate for the Pistons to waive would be forward Isaac Jones, who has played just one game for Detroit and spent most of the season with their G League Motor City Cruise.
Even if Jones is waived, there’s a strong chance the Pistons could bring him right back on a two-way contract, taking Jenkins’ spot.
With the trade deadline so close, there’s no certainty yet how much the Pistons’ roster might change by the end of the week. But it’s looking like the future is certainly going to include Jenkins.