The leg injury suffered by Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey might be devastating to the team’s success this year and Ivey’s continued development, but there was some good news, as Ivey's broken fibula will be re-evaluated in a month, giving him a chance to return this season.
You can expect key players like Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. to log even more minutes in Ivey's absence, but the Pistons have plenty of internal options.
Looking at it another way, the need for playing time in Ivey’s absence will create opportunities for three players on the roster in particular to display development and contribute to the Pistons winning games for the rest of this season.
Ron Holland II
Holland was getting a little more regular playing time earlier this year when Ausar Thompson was injured, but even as the second-year player has returned, Holland has stayed in the rotation and occasionally plays 20 or more minutes in a game, averaging more than six points and nearly three rebounds per game.
Expect his average number of minutes to creep up, especially if head coach JB Bickerstaff uses Holland or Thompson at shooting guard in stretches. Holland’s defensive versatility and ability to run the court might evolve more quickly with added playing time. The question is whether he will be able to show a more versatile offensive game and improve his three-point shooting. He is currently making only 21.7 percent of this triples.
Marcus Sasser
Unlike Holland, Sasser has already shown an outside shooting touch in his two years in the league that has translated to his becoming a nearly 40 percent three-point shooter this year. Sasser is a natural guard, and while undersized at the two, he might see the greatest increase in playing time following Ivey’s injury.
Sasser doesn’t offer the defensive versatility of Holland but paired with the right teammates, the Pistons can use his scoring and find ways to run him off screens for open looks from beyond the three-point arc.
Wendell Moore Jr.
Moore has been used sparingly this year, having played in just two of Detroit’s last 10 games. The 6-5 guard from Duke is an excellent free-throw shooter, which could translate to other parts of his offensive game. Moore has also rebounded the ball extremely well this year and can provide another on-ball defensive option.
He may not have the offensive upside of Sasser but expect Moore to get a longer look in the weeks ahead. If he plays well, Moore could find a regular spot in the rotation for a few minutes a game.