Why Friday Night Could Be Daniss Jenkins’ Final Game With the Detroit Pistons

Ahead of Thursday's trade deadline, the Detroit Pistons benched breakout guard, Dannis Jenkins, which came as a shock to a lot of fans.

This intentional benching was to allow Jenkins to play his 50th and final eligible game on his two-way contract tonight versus the Knicks.

Following the game, the Pistons must decide whether to relegate Jenkins to the G-league or sign him to a full contract for the remainder of the season.

Tricky situation

This situation can be a bit tricky since Jenkins has recently shown a great deal of promise; however, the last time he and the Pistons reportedly had contract negotiations they did not go well.

According to a report from Marc Stein, Jenkins turned down a two-year minimum contract extension that would’ve allowed him to remain a Piston.

Such a rejection is not unheard of, however, mixed with the Pistons recent decision to bench him until after the trade deadline suggests they believe a better player might be available on the buyout market.

Cam Thomas

Cam Thomas was recently bought out by the Brooklyn Nets following Thursday’s trade deadline.

A player of Thomas’s caliber could significantly bolster the Pistons title odds.

However, with only one remaining contract spot, originally left for Jenkins, the Pistons extending Jenkins two-way eligibility makes much more sense.

Best of both worlds?

The Pistons likely wanted this extra time, with Jenkins still under contract, to try and hash out contract details with Cam Thomas.

Landing both players could be slightly problematic as it requires concessions from all parties of Jenkins, Thomas, and the Pistons.

Logistics

Firstly, the Pistons must be willing to spend up to the first apron, where they are hard capped, to fulfill each player’s request.

Secondly, Thomas must be willing to sign for about $5 million less than the Pistons can offer to allow Detroit to buyout Šarić.

Finally, Jenkins must be willing to accept a minimum deal that he has already declined once.

Unless Thomas is willing to take a bigger paycut than necessary, Jenkins would have to accept the fact that he is unlikely to earn more than a minimum deal this season. Especially from a team as good as the Pistons.

Potential departure

If the Pistons cannot work out these deals, then expect the Knicks game to act as a final showcase for Jenkins to show he is more valuable than Thomas in the long run.

Without a deal struck, Jenkins will be free to sign with any team willing to offer him a full contract for the remainder of the season or remain relegated to Detroit's G-League team.