Detroit Pistons: Jaden Ivey’s most important rookie battles

Detroit Pistons: Jaden Ivey’s biggest rookie battles

The New Orleans Pelicans and Dyson Daniels

• December 7th
• January 13th

Daniels spent last season in the G-League, so he and Ivey don’t have any head-to-head history, but this should be a fun matchup of guys with very different styles.

The Pistons don’t play the Pelicans until December, part of a brutal month and the toughest stretch in their schedule. The Pelicans only run one guard in the starting five (CJ McCollum) so Daniels will likely get the assignment of defending Ivey most of the night.

Daniels is a long defender who could give Ivey some problems, but he will have to show that he is quick enough to stay in front of Ivey, who is lightning fast. This will be a matchup of size vs. speed that should be fun to watch.

The Portland Trail Blazers and Shaedon Sharpe

• January 2nd
• March 7th

Heading into the 2022 NBA Draft, both Jaden Ivey and Shaedon Sharpe were players the Detroit Pistons reportedly had interest in.

Sharpe was the big mystery man, a guy who hadn’t played since high school but had the physical tools to be a star in the NBA. He was a big risk with the 5th pick and ended up falling to the Blazers with the 7th pick.

Sharpe got hurt early in the Summer League, so we were denied an early head-to-head matchup between the two, but he will be one of the players Ivey is constantly compared to over his career, especially if Sharpe blows up. Ivey will be keen to show the Pistons made the right choice.