If you were looking for a positive from the Detroit Pistons missing three starters against the Bulls, including Cade Cunningham, it was that it forced Jaden Ivey into the starting lineup in the perfect game to break out.
Instead, he watched most of the second half from the bench as two-way backup Daniss Jenkins played nearly 30 minutes, racking up 15 assists to just one turnover in the process. Isaiah Stewart went off for a career-high 31 points, and even rookie Chaz Lanier saw 12 minutes, in which time he matched the point total Ivey had in 20.
The Pistons did what they’ve been doing all season, which is step up when players go down, as they are now 4-0 in games in which Cade Cunningham does not play. The Pistons have run through the Eastern Conference with backups playing key roles for most of the season, which has some asking the question of whether the Pistons need to do anything at all at the trade deadline.
It was an impressive team win for the Pistons, but one that put an even greater microscope on Jaden Ivey and his future with the team.
Jaden Ivey is just being outplayed by Daniss Jenkins, it’s that simple
I’ve been leading the “give Ivey time” crowd and that still applies, as it’s not so much he’s playing terribly right now, it’s just that other guys are playing better.
It’s hard to ignore that Ivey was the only player on the team with a negative net rating last night, while Jenkins and Lanier racked up a combined +36 and were key parts of the win.
It’s also hard to ignore Ivey's’ continued lack of a real role, as it was pretty clear Jenkins should have started last night and run the point, since he did it effectively for most of the game in Cade Cunningham’s absence.
This would have been the perfect game for Ivey to assert himself in a bigger role, but he’s still having difficulty getting into the lane for shots, something that will hopefully return when he gets more confidence after coming back from two injuries.
If Ivey were on a bad team, or one without the depth the Pistons have, he’d be thrown back in there to take his lumps, but that’s not the case, and the Pistons can’t ignore that other guys are playing better, which JB Bickerstaff didn’t last night when he played Jenkins heavy minutes with Ivey on the bench.
I hate to be negative after a big win, and it’s hard to get too worked up about this situation when the Pistons continue to roll, as it’s not like Ivey is bringing them down or costing them games. But his future with the team has never been murkier than it is right now, as he still hasn’t carved out a role for himself after 22 games.
If Cade Cunningham has to miss another game or two, it would be nice to see Ivey have a breakout, or at least look comfortable, otherwise, he may not be in Detroit at this time next month.