{"id":15751,"date":"2025-05-07T10:29:24","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T10:29:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/15751\/"},"modified":"2025-05-07T10:29:24","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T10:29:24","slug":"did-the-pistons-point-guards-meet-expectations-in-2024-25","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/15751\/","title":{"rendered":"Did The Pistons Point Guards Meet Expectations In 2024-25?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Detroit Pistons<\/a> finally gave fans something to cheer about\u2014winning 44 games and pushing the New York Knicks to six games in the playoffs. It wasn\u2019t the ending they hoped for, but it marked one of their best seasons. Now that their campaign is officially over, it\u2019s time to reflect, starting with the point guard position.<\/p>\n

Cade Cunningham<\/a> firmly anchored the role as the team\u2019s lead guard. But when he sat, questions swirled around who would take over. Jaden Ivey<\/a> stepped up until an injury sidelined him, opening the door for Marcus Sasser<\/a>. At the trade deadline, the Pistons brought in Dennis Schr\u00f6der<\/a>, who became the engine of the second unit.<\/p>\n

Did The Pistons Point Guards Meet Expectations In 2024-25?
\nCade Cunningham Leads the Pistons Point Guards<\/p>\n

Cunningham entered the season with something to prove. After signing his rookie extension<\/a> in the summer, questions lingered about his ability to lead a team \u2014 and to stay on the court. Injuries had been a recurring theme in his first three seasons.<\/p>\n

But this year, Cunningham silenced the critics. He averaged 26.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 9.1 assists across 70 games, delivering on the promise that made him the No. 1 overall pick. He became Detroit\u2019s first All-Star since Blake Griffin<\/a> and is a strong candidate for All-NBA honors.<\/p>\n

In the playoffs, Cunningham introduced himself to a national audience. Against the Knicks, he averaged 25.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 8.7 assists, posting four double-doubles and a triple-double in the six-game series. His all-around impact was undeniable. While Cunningham\u2019s turnovers<\/a> were still a concern, his talent cannot be overlooked.<\/p>\n

Cunningham\u2019s emergence could make the Pistons a more appealing destination for future stars hoping to team up with a franchise centerpiece.<\/p>\n

Grade: A<\/p>\n

Dennis Schr\u00f6der<\/p>\n

Schr\u00f6der began the season with the Brooklyn Nets, where he quietly put up substantial numbers, averaging 18.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 6.6 assists in 23 games. A mid-season trade sent him to the Golden State Warriors, where his role shifted and his production dipped slightly to 10.6 points and 4.4 assists per game across 24 appearances.<\/p>\n

His third stop brought him to Detroit, where he filled the void as the team\u2019s backup point guard. Though his shooting was inconsistent \u2014 37.8% from the field and 30.2% from deep \u2014 Schr\u00f6der\u2019s veteran leadership<\/a> brought stability and maturity to the team.<\/p>\n

In the playoffs, Schr\u00f6der\u00a0reminded everyone of his value. He averaged 12.5 points per game on highly efficient 49\/48\/81 shooting splits. He delivered whenever the Pistons needed a spark, whether with timely buckets, pace, or defensive hustle.<\/p>\n

Retaining Schr\u00f6der should be a priority for Detroit in\u00a0free agency<\/a>. His experience and playoff poise are valuable assets for a young team on the rise. There\u2019s likely to be a market for him, but the hope is that the Pistons\u2019 new identity<\/a> and momentum are enough to bring him back.<\/p>\n

Grade: B+<\/p>\n

Marcus Sasser<\/p>\n

Sasser\u2019s second NBA season didn\u2019t go quite as planned. After a promising rookie year, he was expected to take on a larger role off the bench. However, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff went differently with the backcourt rotation, limiting Sasser\u2019s opportunities. Still, he stayed ready whenever his number was called.<\/p>\n

In 57 games, Sasser averaged 6.6 points and 2.3 assists. He showed flashes of scoring ability, particularly during a standout two-game stretch where he scored 20 points against the New Orleans Pelicans and 27 against the San Antonio Spurs. Whether it was shot creation, perimeter pressure, or tempo, he provided a spark when given the chance.<\/p>\n

The upcoming offseason will be crucial for Sasser. He\u2019s shown he can contribute, but his path to consistent minutes remains uncertain with Ivey\u2019s return and Schr\u00f6der potentially re-signing. How he develops and adjusts could determine whether he stays in the Pistons\u2019 long-term plans.<\/p>\n

Grade: C+<\/p>\n

Daniss Jenkins<\/p>\n

Daniss Jenkins<\/a> didn\u2019t see much action with the Pistons, appearing in just seven games. However, he made a strong impression with the Motor City Cruise, Detroit\u2019s G-League affiliate. In 32 games, Jenkins averaged<\/a> 21.2 points, 6.8 assists, and 1.8 steals\u2014proving himself as a dynamic playmaker and defender at that level.<\/p>\n

This summer will be crucial for Jenkins as he looks to take the next step. If he continues developing and succeeding in offseason workouts and the Summer League, he could earn a spot on Detroit\u2019s 15-man roster.<\/p>\n

Grade: INC (Incomplete)<\/p>\n

The Last Word<\/p>\n

The Pistons\u2019 point guard group had been one of the team\u2019s most stable and encouraging units throughout the season. Cunningham emerged as a true franchise cornerstone, while Schr\u00f6der brought veteran poise and playoff production. Sasser showed flashes of promise, and Jenkins impressed at the G-League level. As Detroit continues to build their identity, the depth, versatility, and competitiveness at the point guard position give the franchise a solid foundation to grow.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Featured image: \u00a9 Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Detroit Pistons finally gave fans something to cheer about\u2014winning 44 games and pushing the New York Knicks…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15752,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3773],"tags":[7,909,6101,1024,296,188,3860,3302,6,297],"class_list":{"0":"post-15751","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-detroit-pistons","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-cade-cunningham","10":"tag-daniss-jenkins","11":"tag-dennis-schroder","12":"tag-detroit","13":"tag-detroit-pistons","14":"tag-detroitpistons","15":"tag-marcus-sasser","16":"tag-nba","17":"tag-pistons"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/114466086171612027","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15751","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15751"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15751\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}