How will the return of Jaden Ivey to the Pistons lineup impact the team this season?
After breaking his leg and unceremoniously putting an abrupt halt to his burgeoning breakout third pro season, Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey is looking to bounce back in a big way– and the Pistons will need him to do so if they hope to challenge for a playoff position this coming season.
When healthy, Ivey showed that he is an explosive, attack-oriented player who can create his own shot off the bounce. These qualities will help for the Pistons to space the floor as All-NBA point guard runs the team’s offense.
Last season, however, Ivey was sidelined after only 30 games, so he did not have a chance to realize his true potential and reap the rewards of the work he’d put in en route to starting each of those 30 games for Detroit. In his absence, the Pistons slotted Malik Beasley into the lineup at times, and the catch-and-shoot merchant acquitted himself well as he aimed to replace Ivey’s scoring tendencies.
Beasley will not return to the Pistons this season but Ivey will. Though he had a long road throughout his recovery, Ivey is one of the most important– and intriguing– members of Detroit’s team at this juncture.
While his scoring ability is not in question, Ivey did miss out on some important basketball due to his injury, predominantly referring to the Pistons’ playoff berth. During that timeframe, Pistons head coach B.J. Bickerstaff was cognizant of the mental effects that could creep in when a player suffers a long-term injury, so the report he shared when Ivey returned to the bench (in street clothes) late last season was a positive indicator of the team’s health and camaraderie as a unit.
“It’s one of the most difficult things you can go through– an injury, but one that lasts that long, for sure,” Bickerstaff said during a media availability in April. “We are all used to being part of a team, and when you deal with those injuries, you start to be isolated or feel isolated because you’re not on as many road trips, you’re not at practice and all those things. But JI’s teammates love him, and whether it’s text messages, phone calls, hugs or whatever it may be every time he’s around, they make sure to engage him and let him know that he’s still a part of what we’re doing and let him know that he’s missed.”
Based on that account, Ivey was able to stay locked into the Pistons’ exciting playoff push last season. And with Beasley no longer on the roster, Ivey is looking to reclaim his starting shooting guard role when the 2025-26 NBA season officially begins.
For a reminder of what Detroit was missing for most of last season, here is a scouting report from NBA.com that was released ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft.
“Listed at 6-foot-4 with a 200-pound frame that has come a long way in recent years to go along with a 6-foot-9.5 wingspan, Ivey has prototypical dimensions for shooting guard and ranks among the most explosive prospects in recent memory. Possessing an electric first step, an extra gear with the ball, and impressive leaping ability with a head of steam, Ivey’s athletic gifts give him considerable upside as his game continues to evolve.”
Look for Ivey to issue a reminder of the player he can be when the Detroit Pistons open up the regular season in earnest on Wednesday, Oct. 22 against the Chicago Bulls.
For more information on the latest Detroit Pistons team or player news, follow @EricJRutter on X for continued basketball coverage.