3 Pistons Who Could Change Detroit's Ceiling This Season

Media Day is officially in the books for the Detroit Pistons, and with preseason play set to begin on Monday, Oct. 5, against the Phoenix Suns, the 2026-27 NBA season is almost here.

After one of their best seasons in recent memory, in which they secured the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and 60 wins, the Pistons look to reach higher this season and deliver Detroit its first NBA championship since 2004.

Much will go into this goal as the Pistons are set to compete in an improved Eastern Conference. While the Pistons trio of Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren will play a major role in the team making a deeper postseason run, three other Detroit players' performances could change Detroit’s ceiling this season.

Here’s a look at those three Pistons players as Detroit looks to reach further than the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Isaiah Joe

Entering the offseason, the Pistons knew they had to improve their three-point shooting, which ranked near the bottom of the NBA last season and played a major role in the team falling short to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, despite posting the No. 1 seed.

Joe’s arrival to the Motor City in an offseason trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder gives the Pistons a chance to improve on those struggles, which could propel them to a deeper playoff run.

In his final season with the Thunder, which ended in a thrilling Western Conference Finals series against the San Antonio Spurs, Joe shot 42.3 percent from three-point range during the regular season and averaged 11.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.

Much like his new teammate Duncan Robinson, Joe excels at the catch-and-shoot and brings defensive intensity, which should help him thrive with a Pistons team that prides itself on defense.

John Collins

With Tobias Harris’ departure to the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers forward John Collins becomes the new veteran leader. This offseason, Collins signed a three-year, $51 million extension with the Pistons after one season with the Clippers.

In his one season with the Clippers, Collins averaged 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game, while shooting 55.2 percent from the field. Known as an efficient rebounder and versatile forward, Collins can play at multiple positions on the floor, which could help the Pistons' spacing this season, something that needs improvement, especially in the postseason.

Daniss Jenkins

Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins' emergence was one of the biggest storylines from Detroit’s breakthrough 2025-26 season. Jenkins went from playing in just seven games the previous year to becoming a consistent presence in the Pistons rotation, averaging 9.3 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game.

In the postseason, Jenkins even played a few games in the Pistons' starting lineup and made a major impact, scoring in double figures multiple times in their postseason series loss to the Cavaliers.

Now entering the 2026-27 season, Jenkins looks to improve even more and help the Pistons advance even further. His role in the Pistons' rotation could increase, as his minutes are bound to be different than last season.

Add us as a preferred source on Google