Ebuka

Okorie

In the final game of the preseason, the Raptors starters sat out. Okorie played only nine minutes at the end of the game against the end of Toronto’s bench, but he was electric. The 19-year-old point guard couldn’t miss, going 4-for-4 from the field. He sliced up the defense when he drove the lane for a layup and crossed over a big man before sinking an open jumper. Okorie played only one year at Stanford before the Pistons drafted him in the first round. While the rookie certainly has a bright future, minutes could be sparse to begin his career.

Okorie was hardly efficient in this one as his 16 points came on 17 attempts from the field. The 19-year-old point guard had an impressive drive late in the fourth quarter and he was able to finish at the rim. While the rookie is young and inexperienced, there’s a path to backup point guard minutes with the Pistons trading Marcus Sasser to the Mavericks this offseason.

While Monday’s defeat was the second consecutive game in which Okorie shot poorly, he was unable to compensate for those issues as he did in Sunday’s win over the Cavaliers. The first-round pick out of Stanford finished the loss to the Knicks with as many turnovers as assists, four. By comparison, Okorie compensated for a 5-of-17 Sunday by tallying six assists and seven steals. Even with his struggles against the Knicks, the rookie guard displayed good poise throughout and may be approaching the point where Pistons decision-makers decide they’ve seen enough from him this summer.

Detroit added Okorie with the 17th pick last month, and it was clear immediately that they intended for him to step in and be the backup point guard immediately. His successful freshman season at Stanford went under the radar, but he’s a stud, and he showcased that in his first summer league game. Okorie may not play enough in year one to be worth a roster spot in standard leagues, but he has tremendous upside and should be a coveted piece in dynasty formats.

While one of the Pistons’ main objectives this offseason is to get more playmaking help for Cade Cunningham, that should not detract from what Jenkins provided last season. Appearing in 72 games, the 6-foot-3 guard contributed 9.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.0 three-pointers in 20.2 minutes. Jenkins played well enough to remain in the rotation and convince the Pistons to pick up his $4 million option. Whether he can be fantasy-relevant next season depends on multiple factors, including first-round pick Ebuka Okorie’s development and what Detroit does in free agency or the trade market to address its need for another playmaker.

Okorie’s lone season at Stanford was an excellent one, as he led the ACC in scoring and was one of the conference’s best freshmen. Averaging 23.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 2.0 three-pointers, the 6-foot-1 guard shot 46.5 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from three and 83.2 percent from the foul line. Okorie does have room to grow as a perimeter shooter, but his playmaking instincts are excellent. The Pistons sent the Grizzlies three second-round picks to move from 21 to 17 to add Okorie, which came after the Thunder traded two second-round picks to move from 17 to 16. Detroit desperately needed to add another ball handler, and Okorie should fill that void flawlessly. He may not see the volume of minutes that he would need to be a fantasy star, but he’ll be very helpful for the Pistons in the non-Cade Cunningham minutes.