Two days ago, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was one of the least relevant sub-23-year-old players (who actually plays) in the NBA. He embodied the word “meh” only two years after the Detroit Pistons made him a mid-lotto pick. Die hard fans didn't know what he looked like, and you, dear reader, definitely can’t recall a single play from his career that inspired you to Google his name—which you probably couldn’t spell anyway.

Caldwell-Pope didn’t bring much to the table, but, instead of flipping it over, he prevented anything from falling off. That’s not the most thrilling characteristic you want from a first-round pick who was selected before C.J. McCollum, Michael Carter-Williams, and (clears throat) Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it’s a start.

Now we’re two nights into the 2015-16 season. The Pistons are undefeated and Caldwell-Pope is averaging a team-high 18.5 points per game. He’s yet to miss a free throw and is shooting 50 percent from behind the three-point line on six attempts per game. Exactly 20 percent of all his field goal attempts have been corner threes. All this is eye-popping, excellent news.

Of course, it’s also extracted from a two-game sample size, and none of it’s actually sustainable. But promising signs date back a few weeks. KCP shredded nylon throughout the preseason, making 48 percent of his threes and hounding dudes on the perimeter. He probably won’t ever have a traditional “breakout” campaign, but now is about the time people will notice that he’s a useful role player who does a ton of little things to make his team better on both sides of the ball. All that sits well with the Pistons. 

There’s a reason he started 82 games for a head coach who once upon a time refused to play a young J.J. Redick. Caldwell-Pope is just one of three players still around since Stan Van Gundy took the helm in Detroit. He’ll take a bad shot every now and then, or dig a little too hard trying to disrupt a post up before giving up an open three. But overall he’s rock solid, a splendid defender who sticks to open outside shots and never turns the ball over.

Last year, the Pistons were a smidgen better than their opponents with Caldwell-Pope on the floor (significant considering he played so much time against opposing starters). When he sat, their defense stayed about the same, but their offense died, going from 104.7 points per 100 possessions to 97.7. Ew.

The 22-year-old’s NBA destiny probably isn’t All-Star Weekend or averaging nearly 20 points per game, but some prospects can carve out legitimate careers by sharpening the edges of their existing skill-set. Adding new layers would only bog them down and complicate their objective. Klay Thompson is the perfect example. Would it be wonderful if he had more well-rounded creativity in his game and could break defenses down with a slick side pick-and-roll whenever he wanted? Sure! Does he need to stretch himself out to reach his ceiling in Golden State’s system? Not at all! He’s perfect as is, a floor-spacing wing who defends both guard positions at a top-notch level. So long as he focuses on improving those traits he’ll be fine.

Caldwell-Pope is in the same category except not nearly as talented. For the Pistons to sneak into a playoff spot this year, they simply need him to be competent across the board—a manageable request. Caldwell-Pope can’t get beat in transition or die on a screen when he doesn’t feel like fighting over it. His ceiling isn’t in the clouds, but that’s fine thanks to Stanley Johnson, a freakish wing who soon enough will fill a critical role as the Pistons’ secondary creator. As a progressing spot-up threat who can switch screens and shout out defensive coverages, KCP compliments him perfectly.

Look at this play from their opening night win against the Atlanta Hawks. Caldwell-Pope’s man is Kyle Korver (who, btw, was ghosted). He sees a Kent Bazemore screen coming and calls out to Marcus Morris, instructing a switch. It’s seamlessly executed because of Caldwell-Pope’s awareness and excellent communication, even if Morris’ defense on Atlanta’s sharpshooter is anything but.

In this moment he’s a coach on the floor, taking care of the little things, being glue. That’s what Caldwell-Pope can be this season for an undefeated Pistons team that’s on the right path to securing their first postseason appearance in what feels like a 2000 years. 

There he is denying Korver a pass on the wing and mucking up Atlanta’s offense. There he is blocking Rodney Hood’s shot in the final seconds to ensure a second victory in as many nights. There he is chucking the roll man and recovering out to the perimeter before the offense can take advantage. There he is spacing the floor and allowing Reggie Jackson to dip and dive his way into the paint. Everything else is gravy—moments where he blows past his man, draws a rotating big and lobs it up to Andre Drummond, or leaks out for a transition dunk. 

You know the phrase “stay in your lane”? Of course you do. In the context of NBA role players, it means please understand and accept your team’s pecking order and don’t step on anybody’s toes. Have a role and excel in it. Well, in this regard, Caldwell-Pope is a zombie, intrinsically focused on doing his job within a more complex framework.

The Rich Paul client (and free agent to be) isn’t Detroit’s most talented player or even close to the best. But he’s valuable for more reasons than meet the immediate eye, and it appears he’s finally starting to get the appreciation he deserves.