Detroit is looking to take another step forward after a breakout last season, during which it secured a top-six seed and returned to the playoffs. A big part of that next step was expected to be an increased role for guard Jaden Ivey, who was having a breakout year for himself until a fibula injury in January limited him to 30 games.
That next step for Ivey is on hold. He has had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to relieve discomfort and he will be re-evaluated in a month, the team announced. The Pistons also said that the injury was “unrelated to the fibula injury suffered last season,†which tracks with Ivey saying at media day he was feeling “100%.†The teamâ€s recovery timeline has Ivey missing at least a dozen games.
Ivey played in one preseason game for a total of 14 minutes, but the pain in his knee worsened as training camp and preseason games wore on, coach J.B. Bickerstaff said before the Pistons†preseason game Thursday.
Ivey averaged 17.6 points while shooting 40.9% from 3, while adding 4.1 rebounds and four assists a game last season before his injury. Ivey was expected to take on a much larger scoring role with Dennis Schroder, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley no longer with the team. With Ivey out, expect more from Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson, plus more scoring responsibilities will fall to Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland and Tobias Harris.
Ivey is also extension eligible as he heads into the final season of his rookie contract (making $10.1 million). The sides could still reach a deal, if not, then Ivey will be a restricted free agent next summer.
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