Jaden Ivey was well on his way to another stellar performance leading the Pistons in scoring in a win over the Orlando Magic. But late in the 4th quarter Cole Anthony rolled underneath Ivey in an attempt to corral a loose ball. The end result being a broken fibula in in his left leg. Ivey was beginning to become a consistent running mate beside Cade Cunningham, but it appears the Pistons may be without him for the remainder of the year.

Ivey’s Player Profile

Ivey is a hyper athletic scoring guard that creates open opportunities for his teammates due to his ability to attack the rim and attract help side assistance. Ivey was the primary ball handler when Cade Cunningham is off the floor, and has hit several big shots in the clutch. Most recently, where he was able to complete a 4 point play to solidify the victory on the road in Sacramento. On the other side of things, Ivey is often erratic in his decision-making, which is equally as impactful on the team as his playmaking skillset. In addition, although not for a lack of effort, Ivey is a very below average defender. Ivey ranks in the 5th percentile of defensive crafted plus minus.

JADEN IVEY WINS THE GAME ON WILD FOUR-POINT PLAY 😱😱

KINGS BLEW A 16-PT 4Q LEAD 😳 pic.twitter.com/6zBfGjyRJG

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 27, 2024

Veteran Guards

The Pistons will lean on veteran guards Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley to shoulder the void left behind by the promising young guard. Beasley has been a much needed spark off the bench, but has struggled mightily in his last few games. Hardaway is having a fairly up and down year shooting wise, knocking down only 42% of his shots from the field. On the other hand, he has come up big in late game situations, including knocking down 3 triples in a overtime victory vs. The Miami Heat.  Hardaway has also drawn the second most charges in the league with 13.

New Opportunities

The absence of Ivey will open up more opportunities for players such as Marcus Sasser and Ron Holland, who have been somewhat buried in the rotation for much of the year. Holland is a budding star that has received inconsistent minutes this year but he has shown potential to impact the game with his scrappy toughness and athletic ability in the open court. He scored a career high 26 points against the Boston Celtics. Sasser, has played even less this year, due, Cunningham and Ivey logging more minutes in front of him. In limited time he is averaging, 6 points while shooting 53% from the field and 40% from 3. Sasser, will now be tasked as the primary playmaker off the bench. A role he has steadily improved at since coming into the league as a score first guard. Also look for Ausar Thompson to see an uptick in minutes, as he attempts to continue the pace  vey provided, while also bringing defensive intensity to the floor.

Ultimately, I think where Detroit will miss Ivey the most is his ability to create for others and relieve Cade Cunningham, as a playmaker when he is out of the ball game. According to Craftnba.com Ivey ranks in the 86th percentile, as it relates to creating open shot opportunities for others. The Pistons were already thin in the playmaking department, and the injury to Ivey certainly won’t help that deficiency. The Pistons will look to rally around their beloved teammate. Detroit was already looking to be active at the deadline, and if they plan to stay afloat in the playoff race they will certainly have to seek outward to find some assistance in that regard.