One Unexpected Pistons Player Could Force a Major Rotation Change

It became more evident following the Pistons fightback just fell short against the Lakers.

Nov 8, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins (24) looks to pass while falling to the court against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Detroit Pistons could potentially face a shake-up following their 121-116 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Backup point guard Daniss Jenkins hasn't received much attention, but he's forced his way into the Pistons’ rotation and had a breakout performance against the Lakers.

Jenkins went for 31 points in 32 minutes and single-handedly led Detroit’s charge; despite falling short, he's made a case for himself, with coach J.B. Bickerstaff adjusting his rotation while Jalen Duren is sidelined for another two weeks.

22 points (6-7 3PM) in the first half ‼️ https://t.co/erVGPOzeWa pic.twitter.com/wbWdtqFiG4

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) November 9, 2026

Jenkins’ pitch and Detroit’s dilemma

Jenkins delivered a standout performance on a night when their star Cade Cunningham struggled offensively, finishing with just 14 points on 6-for-15 shooting.

The contrast underscores Detroit’s growing need for a secondary playmaker who can ease Cunningham’s offensive responsibilities and provide another reliable scoring option.

Experimenting with different lineups to ignite an offence that has struggled with inconsistency across the board, Bickerstaff has unearthed Jenkins as a secondary playmaker and scorer, and his points eruption against the Lakers proves it.

Jenkins averages 11.7 points and 4.3 assists per game this season, with his increase coming from Duren's absence.

And his emergence as a highly effective secondary playmaker is precisely what the Pistons need to ease the enormous offensive burden on Cade Cunningham.

However, giving him consistent, high-volume minutes will require some difficult decisions.

 The logjam at guard

The Pistons’ bench also boasts veteran scorer Kevin Huerter, who poured in 24 points against the Lakers, alongside specialist Isaiah Joe.

Kevin Huerter out here having a GAME

🔹19 PTS
🔹4 REB
🔹4 AST
🔹2 STL
🔹5 BLK (career-high)
🔹7-10 FG
🔹3-6 3PT pic.twitter.com/0mWowWGmyd

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) November 9, 2026

Keeping Jenkins in the rotation could force Bickerstaff to embrace an expanded 11-man rotation, with nightly minutes determined entirely by performance.

If Jenkins demonstrates he can consistently direct the offense, the coaching staff can deploy Cunningham off the ball more often, building on a preseason strategy designed to preserve his energy.

Jenkins’ recent form could also affect the frontcourt as well, with rookie Ron Holland II limited to just 14 minutes on Sunday. As Jenkins seems to command more of the guard and wing allocation, Holland's route to more minutes could become a little harder to find.

For Jenkins, though, he still has work to do to command those increased minutes; analysts highlighted a glaring weakness over the summer.

Jenkins converted just 31.3% of his attempts around the rim, an historically poor mark. Given his reliance on either deep three-pointers or inconsistent finishing at the basket, critics questioned whether he was a natural fit alongside Cunningham.

Those weaknesses could be a downfall, but for now, Jenkins has staked his claim.