Jaden Ivey is clearly an NBA-caliber player. We saw enough in his first three seasons to know that. However, in year four — coming off a serious injury — Ivey looks more like a complementary piece in the Pistons backcourt than a foundational building block, which is what the Pistons expected from him.
Two months into the season, things haven't been disastrous for Ivey; he's shooting the ball well and turning it over less per 36 minutes than any of his first three seasons. But his production is coming in a considerably smaller role, in which he's averaged just 14 minutes per game.
Is this Ivey slowly working his way back into the rotation after missing a lot of time, or a sign the Pistons can survive (and thrive) without him playing a big role?
If it's the second option, the Pistons suddenly have a decision to make regarding his future with the team. If the Pistons think they can maintain this level of play without him, then it might be best to let another team sign him to an extension this summer.
Jaden Ivey might need to be unleashed elsewhere
The backcourt fit of Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey was never bad, but it was never seamless, either. With Cunningham breaking out into an MVP-caliber superstar, the best thing this franchise can do is surround him with perfect fits.
Duncan Robinson has been so good in the starting shooting guard role that plenty of Pistons fans are happy to run with that backcourt all year, no matter if Ivey's health has played a factor in his shrunken early-season role or not.
And Ausar Thompson isn't budging from his starting small forward spot with the defensive value he brings to the team.
Unfortunately for Ivey, the team may have moved on while he was injured and found a system that works better. It's sad because Ivey is by no means a disappointment — he just got injured at a bad time and now his skillset might not be maximized on these Pistons.
There might not be an obvious solution for the Pistons and Jaden Ivey
It's not as simple as trade him so you don't lose him for nothing because it's not as though Ivey is a benchwarmer or negative contributor on the court. He's still a good player, and the Pistons believe they can win the NBA Finals this year. Trading away a guy who plays every night would be silly for a team with championship aspirations, no matter what could happen in the offseason, right?
But it's also not as simple as sign him and figure it out later. Even with lowered production, Ivey would command considerable attention on the open market and the Pistons would have to pay a pretty penny to keep him. If what we're seeing right now is going to be Ivey's role on this team going forward, it will be tough to justify keeping at the contract value he will (rightfully) ask for.
So here we are. I don't want to stir up a frenzy among Pistons fans because things are good right now. Jaden Ivey playing fewer minutes is small potatoes when the team is 20-5. Still, for teams to compete annually, they have to get these types of decisions right. This front office has gained the trust of fans quickly — can it keep that momentum going?