Pistons' Jennings gripes about playing time

Trouble is brewing in Detroit, as it appears point guard Brandon Jennings and newly-hired head coach Stan Van Gundy are at odds regarding playing time.

Jennings, who started all but one game for the Pistons last season, has seen his minutes diminish this year, mostly on account of backup point guard D.J. Augustin. Jennings has played just 17.5 minutes per game, while Augustin has averaged 30.5 per game.

When asked about the division in playing time after the Pistons' loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, a despondent Jennings had a solution for Van Gundy.

"(Augustin) should start and I'll be the backup, if that's the case," Jennings told Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. "That's all I've got."

Jennings is known to play erratically at times, especially with respect to his tendency to hoist ill-advised shots. However, he is still an effective player, having averaged 15.5 points and 7.6 assists per game last season. 

On the other hand, Augustin - despite being less talented than Jennings - understands when to play within himself, and is likely better suited to the role of floor general in Van Gundy's offense. He averaged 14.9 points and five assists per game in Chicago last season.

The trouble is, Jennings has another season remaining on his contract, during which he'll earn $8.3 million. Shelling out so much money for a backup would be a poor allocation of funds, so it's conceivable a trade may be in the cards.