“I can do my job in a short amount of time” – Why Dennis Rodman didn’t want starter minutes after Pistons traded for Mark Aguirre originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Dennis Rodman was coming off the bench but could have easily stepped into a starting role when the Detroit Pistons traded Adrian Dantley for Mark Aguirre in February 1989. But as far as the 6’8″ forward was concerned, he was fine with his role at the time.
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Pundits suggested that, with Aguirre in the lineup, Rodman would get significantly less playing time. That hardly bothered the Southeastern Oklahoma State product, emphasizing that he was content with the playing time he was getting.
“I do not want the minutes. Forty minutes, or 35-40, it’s too much. I can do my job in a short amount of time,”Rodman said via UPI.
Rodman and Aguirre had different roles, but played them to perfection
Further, Rodman pointed out how he and Aguirre differed. Mark was a starter and a scorer, while he was a bench-warmer who would only be called upon to spell players and raise the energy level of the team.
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“I do my best work off the bench. I can perform better. I have my mind geared up for that. Most of the time when I come in the game, my team is behind or needs a lift. I can do that,” the 27th pick of the 1986 Draft added.
Rodman was known for his defense rather than his offense, while it was the other way around for Aguirre. But being teammates, it was only natural to learn how the two complemented each other and worked to improve their respective games.
Aguirre wasn’t known primarily for his defense, but he understood he had to adapt with the Pistons placing such a premium on it. And there was no better mentor for that than Rodman.
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“I try to watch how Dennis or John Salley plays an opponent, and they tell me how, too,” Aguirre admitted via the New York Times. “I’m not the greatest defensive player in the world, so I get a lot of information from Dennis. The defense this team plays is totally infectious.”
Conversely, Aguirre would do the same to Rodman on the other side of the ballgame. There was a time when head coach Chuck Daly called an offensive play for Dennis with Mark sitting on the bench. And while Rodman himself believed Aguirre was better man for the job at hand, the whole Pistons bench, with Daly at the helm encouraged him.
“Chuck Daly calls a play. Rodman goes, ‘Chuck, I think Mark should be in the game right now to run this play.’ And Mark goes, ‘No, Dennis, you can do it,'” Thomas recalled.
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Rodman always stuck to his strongest suit
The beauty of it all was that Rodman and Aguirre were able to make it all work. Playing time wasn’t a major issue, though Mark saw his minutes decrease with Dennis’s rise. Combined with recurring injuries, it led to Aguirre’s career gradually fading away.
As for Rodman, things only got better. He established himself as an elite defender and rebounder in the league, which is why most teams showed interest in him then.
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Dennis the Menace played for four other teams after the Pistons. But of those teams, his run with the Chicago Bulls from 1996 to 1998 remains etched in everyone’s memory. He won three more NBA championships with the Windy City squad by doing what he does best – defending and rebounding.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 12, 2025, where it first appeared.