Over the past several games, the Detroit Pistons have welcomed several players back to the lineup after recovering from various injuries, but the addition of guard Jaden Ivey is the shit which has altered the rotation in Motown the most.

After undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee near the start of the regular season, Ivey was sidelined for roughly one month. So, the Pistons turned to two-way point guard Daniss Jenkins as a player that can help the team on or off the ball since he impacts the game similarly to Ivey as a partial ball handler. 

Ivey was out for nearly the entirety of the Pistons’ 13-game winning streak, only returning for the final Detroit victory of that positive spell. As a result, Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has had to adjust the minutes timeshare in his lineup, and Jenkins has been forced into a backseat role as a result.

At one point in the winning streak, Jenkins was moved into the starting lineup for multiple games, and the young second-career guard averaged over 20 points and seven assists per night in that role. Jenkins operated as a starting point guard in Cade Cunningham’s injury absence, then the two-way playmaker also started next to Cunningham in the back court when he returned to the floor and was productive in both roles.

Bickerstaff: Tobias Harris Is The ‘Safety Blanket’ For Detroit Pistons Offense Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was very complimentary of veteran forward Tobias Harris

However, Ivey is in the long-term plan for the Pistons, so Bickerstaff is working him back into the lineup gradually. Against the Miami Heat on Saturday night, Ivey scored nine points with a perfect 4-for-4 mark from the free throw line. Ivey has scored in double digits multiple times since returning from injury, but the tempo of the game against Miami did not allow for him to be a featured element of the Pistons’ offense. Still, Ivey drew positive reports from his coach after the fact. 

“I think tonight was his best night,” Bickerstaff said. “You know, again, when you haven't played professional basketball in 11 months, and you're on about a 15 minute restriction, and you play smaller doses. It's not always going to be easy for a guy to come back. It's just hard. Playing NBA basketball is hard, finding your rhythm, finding your confidence, all those things are hard. But I think tonight he showed what he was capable of, his ability to attack the paint, make shots, help us be a pest defensively. So, he's only going to continue to get better, and it's just going to take him some time.”

Last season, Ivey was a dynamic piece of Detroit’s lineup, and his speedy transition game paired with an accurate long-range shot have made Ivey a player that the Pistons feel comfortable building around. Ivey was averaging over 17 points per game last season before breaking his leg, so he’s shown an established history of working well in the backcourt with Cunningham.

READ MORE: Cade Cunningham Scores 29, Pistons Dominate Paint In 3-Point Win Over Miami Heat 

However, at the moment it appears that either Ivey hasn’t had enough time on the court yet to regain his chemistry with his teammates or that Jenkins is a better fit in the Detroit lineup at the time because the squad has struggled when Ivey is initiating the offense instead of Cunningham. Based on their pedigree, it seems that Jenkins would be better-suited for that role, but it will all depend on how Ivey continues to develop in his return from knee surgery.

Tomorrow, the Pistons host the Atlanta Hawks at 7 pm for another important Eastern Conference tilt. 

For more information on the latest Detroit Pistons team or player news, follow @EricJRutter on X for continued basketball coverage. Also be sure to look up Roundtable - Michigan Men Media on Facebook for continued social media coverage of all the sporting teams in the Mitten.