The breakthrough success of the Detroit Pistons was one of the most notable stories in the NBA last season. The second half of that success, unfortunately, went on without shooting guard Jaden Ivey. The Pistons were forced to continue the season without Ivey when he broke his tibia against the Orlando Magic in January.
Detroit's President of Basketball Operations, Trajan Langdon, spoke to the media during NBA Media Day on Monday with an update on Ivey's availability for training camp. He advised that Ivey will have no restrictions once the team begins camp and his mindset dating back to last season.
“Everybody remembers January 1 when that injury happened. It's been a tough road for him, especially in the beginning, watching our season and not being able to be a part of the success that we had,” Langdon explained. “I know it was really hard for him emotionally. But he was there supporting his teammates the whole time, which meant a lot to those guys.”
Ivey's skill set was vital for the first 30 games of the Pistons' season last year. He managed to put up career-high averages in his third year in Detroit. The standout numbers were in the scoring department, averaging 17.6 points per game on 46% shooting from the field and a significant 3-point shooting jump to 41%.
Langdon also went in-depth about how important Ivey is to the chemistry of the team. The majority of Pistons on the roster spoke to how much they missed Ivey and how they cannot wait to have him back on the floor. There was even a viral clip of center Jalen Duren warming up during pregame in Ivey's jersey back in March.
The 6-5 combo guard has accomplished each phase of his recovery process according to Langdon. He has participated live with his team and should be a full-go once training camp is underway.
Ivey almost returned for playoffs?
The Pistons were forced to take on the New York Knicks during the postseason first round without Ivey. The series went six games before Detroit fell short against New York. Ivey responded to the media about the possibility of him making a return during the playoffs.
“I know there were talks about it. I think it was still a long process to go. But everyday, I stepped out there working out; I had the intensity that there's a possibility that I could play in the playoffs,” Ivey stated. “I definitely didn't look like lightly towards that; I was pushing every single day to see if it was possible.”
Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff fielded the same question throughout the regular season about the possibility of Ivey coming back. He constantly aided on the side of caution and did not want to rush his starting shooting guard back unless he was completely healthy. The 23-year-old guard will be highly motivated to show he is healthy and to cash in on a contract extension considering he is currently eligible.
With Ivey nearing his return, the Pistons are preparing to lean heavily on his talent again this season. He served as a promising complement to All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham in the backcourt. Bickerstaff and Langdon have also spoke on using Ivey as the team's backup point guard in certain spots when needed.
