Jaden Ivey has now missed his second straight preseason game after making his return to an NBA court for the first time in 10 months. Ivey is coming off a season-ending broken leg last season, and fans were hoping to see his recovery in action this preseason. However, his consecutive absences and limited minutes in the preseason opener may hint at some lingering injury woes.
Jaden Ivey's injury may still be bothering him
Ivey's injury was horrific and extremely difficult to recover from. But coaches and teammates spoke very highly of his current state of health at media day, and gave fans hope in the process. Some even claimed that he looked better than ever.
But Ivey had an up-and-down performance when he actually returned to competitive action. Against the Grizzlies, he did look physically impressive in his 19 minutes of action, but had some rustiness in his shot and decision-making too. He was expected to use the remaining preseason games to work his way back into shape steadily, but that has not been the case.
Ivey's limited playing time in the preseason opener was probably a decision made in an abundance of caution, but it might've necessary to prevent further injury aggravation. It won't come as a shock if Ivey has a slow start to the regular season, but his lack of preseason involvement is very surprising. The Pistons preseason games have not only been low stakes, but also spaced out very well to avoid excess fatigue.
After not playing NBA games for so long, it's possible that Ivey's recoverability between games has declined. He may have felt perfectly healthy against the Grizzlies, but experienced soreness since then. Hopefully, he's able to play games at a regular cadence again when the regular season starts.
Then again, Jaden Ivey himself might be extremely cautious not just for the sake of his physical health but also his future earnings. Ivey will either sign a contract extension in the next week or become a restricted free agent next summer. Either way, he will soon be entering a new contract and does not want to risk further injury or poor performances in meaningful games before then.
Ivey's return to health could be the Pistons' biggest storyline this season. His ability to elevate the team's offense as a second option (and primary ball handler at times) will decide the Pistons' record and playoff success. It will also play a huge role in not only his next contract, but also potentially his next team.
For the sake of the Pistons and Jaden Ivey, we are all hoping that he is just resting rather than suffering injury complications. Although fans are understandably worried about a player who underwent such a traumatic injury last season, the Pistons and Ivey have expressed nothing but confidence in his recovery.