The Detroit Pistons will likely be without guard Jaden Ivey tonight as they try to clinch their group in the NBA Cup against the Orlando Magic, who will be missing star Paolo Banchero.
Ivey is listed as questionable (reconditioning) for tonight’s big home game against the Magic as he tries to ramp back into game shape after missing almost a year. The rust showed in the last game, as Ivey had a rough night shooting, though I thought he had some nice moments on defense.
It’s going to be a process with Ivey, one that the Pistons are not going to rush, so it’s smart not to push him too early.
It also saves coach JB Bickerstaff from being the bad guy, as he’s trying to juggle an 11-man rotation, and Ivey being out spares him from having to make some tough calls.
Detroit Pistons rotation: It’s almost time to trim it down
The Pistons have had a ton of injuries this season, and players like Daniss Jenkins and Javonte Green have stepped up to fill the voids, but eventually JB Bickerstaff is going to have to make some decisions.
It’s hard for players to get in a rhythm when they are playing in such short stints, as we saw against Boston, when the Pistons made just 11 of their 36 attempts from 3-point range.
When Ivey returned the rotation got even more crowded, and against Boston, it was Daniss Jenkins who was the odd man out, as he only played eight minutes and none in the second half.
He should be back in the rotation tonight if Ivey sits and that’s a good thing, as the bench offense has looked rough at times with Caris LeVert running the point. Hopefully, Jenkins can help inject some offense into the bench unit and keep the Pistons from sliding in the second quarter as they did against the Celtics.
We may see coach Bickerstaff continue to use Jenkins and Green for the time being, as he needs to keep his team healthy for the long season ahead, but at some point, he will have to trim his rotation, and there will be some tough calls to make.
Once Ivey starts playing more, those minutes are going to have to come from somewhere, and we may eventually see both Green and Jenkins out of the rotation entirely.
But JB Bickerstaff is spared from that decision tonight, and we’ll likely see both of them in a 10-man rotation. Jenkins in particular has a lot to gain by playing well in these spots, as he’s still on a two-way deal and wants to prove he’s worth keeping long term.