Pistons dodged huge bullet with Jaden Ivey

Jaden Ivey has gone from benched to injured since being traded to the Chicago Bulls, making it abundantly clear that the Detroit Pistons did the right thing by cutting ties. 

It wasn’t an easy choice to make, as Ivey was a great teammate and had flashed tantalizing potential that was derailed by a freak injury. 

The Ivey question lingered over the season anyway but got even murkier when he had a setback in the preseason that required him to get surgery on his right knee. 

He did his best to come back, but it is clear now that he needed more time, so either way, the Ivey question wasn’t going to get answered this season. 

Detroit traded him away for a measly pick swap and a guy who isn’t even in the rotation, so there obviously wasn’t much of a trade market for Ivey. 

His free agency isn’t looking much better, nor are the Bulls, who took on an injured player that is up for a new contract next summer. 

It’s a headache the Pistons were lucky to avoid. 

Detroit Pistons got out at the right time with Jaden Ivey

The Pistons and Bulls are in much different positions as franchises, as Chicago just started a much-needed teardown, and the Pistons are hoping to make a deep run in the playoffs. 

Detroit wasn’t afforded the luxury of time and didn’t want to go into next offseason with the same questions lingering that have been there for years when it comes to Ivey and his future with the team. 

If the Pistons had kept Ivey, he’d likely be on their injury report now, and considering it’s not even the same knee he had surgery on, there have to be concerns about his health and future in the league. Multiple knee and leg injuries are tough to come back from, especially for a guy who relies so much on his speed and athleticism.

These are things the Pistons would rather not deal with, as they have a big offseason ahead of them anyway with a raise coming for Duren and Trajan Langdon looking to potentially add another impact player to his roster. 

Ivey is out for at least two more weeks, and it wouldn’t be shocking if he were shut down at some point, so the Bulls will be going into his restricted free agency with little data to go on, which is not an enviable position to be in. There is opportunity there, especially if Ivey gets back to his old self after a full offseason, but there is also plenty of risk and uncertainty. 

I hope it works out for Ivey, but as a fan of the Pistons, I am glad they are not the ones who have to deal with him next summer. The Pistons got out at the right time, got what they could and are moving on, which was painful, but the smart thing to do.