The Detroit Pistons won their Summer League game against the Houston Rockets, 87-73. The outcomes of these games don't matter, and it is easy to overreact to performances. It's also fun. The Pistons don't always have bright spots in the Summer League, so this year has been a nice change of pace, with players competing, a testament to the kinds of players the new front office is bringing in. The Pistons have had two consistent standouts: second-round pick Bobi Klintman and 2-way player Dannis Jenkins.
Bobi Klintman
Bobi Klintman looks solid. He shoots, passes, rebounds, moves without the ball, and plays defense. It's summer league, but if this play is a sign of things to come, he may be one of the draft's biggest steals. He played well in this first game and again on Monday night. Klintman finished with 18 points (7-13 overall and 4-8 from three), nine rebounds, and three assists. His court awareness stands out. He finds the open spots and moves to them, a novel idea on a Pistons team full of stagnant players. He isn't expected to be a rotation player this year, but he certainly didn't get the memo.
Dannis Jenkins
Dannis Jenkins surprised in game one with a strong performance. He followed it up with another good game on Monday night. He had 26 points (8-16 overall and 6-11 from three), four assists, three rebounds, one steal, and two blocks. He runs the point guard well. The Pistons need a backup point guard, and while Marcus Sasser has the clearest path to that position, the competition will be tough. Jenkins looks like an old-school guard, tough, physical, and fast.
Sasser did finish with eight assists and an overall better performance, but he feels much more like a two-guard than a point guard. He also had 11 points on 3-9 shooting. There is no need to worry about Sasser as a player. The question for him is whether he can learn to play the point. Jenkins already plays like a classic point guard, running the floor, dishing the ball, and pressuring the ball on defense. He would play well alongside Ausar Thompson and Malik Beasley, a unit with a balance of athleticism and shooting, assuming Simone Fontechio is also with that group.
Trajan Langdon
Trajan Langdon is a good talent evaluator. The players he has gotten through this year's draft process look good. Tolu Smith may be a player competing for a two-way contract. He moves to the right spot and could develop defensively. No one else has stood out thus far. However, the point remains: Bobi Klintman and Dannis Jenkins look good.
Ron Holland
Ron Holland didn't play in this game, but he'll play tomorrow. Of anyone Langdon has brought to the team, Holland looks the most like a project player. His athleticism is elite, but he didn't look smooth in his first game. Sometimes, young players who rely heavily on their athletic ability at the lower levels have a tougher transition to the NBA. Holland could be going through that. Perhaps it was just first-game jitters.
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