One of the biggest surprises of the year for the Detroit Pistons has been the performance of Jaden Ivey.
I was admittedly not super high on Ivey coming into the season, as I thought the Pistons needed a better defender and 3-point shooter next to Cade Cunningham. I’m still not sure that Ivey is the long-term answer in the starting lineup, but he is making a strong case.
His defense is still not great, but the effort is there, and Ivey has improved every other facet of his game after being sabotaged by his own coach the year before.
It’s hard to believe we’re in the same calendar year, as Ivey looks like a different guy, is playing confidently and giving the Pistons exactly what they need.
Jaden Ivey’s stats the last 10 games
Ivey’s counting stats in the last 10 games are actually down slightly from his season averages, but he’s getting his points efficiently and in big moments.
Ivey has hit 45 percent of his shots overall in this stretch, including over 40 percent from long range on over five attempts per game, both career highs.
Ivey is up to 45/39 on the season, which is exactly the type of efficiency we were hoping for.
He’s gotten so much better off the ball this year, hitting 42.5 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3-point shots on 2.8 attempts per game. His accuracy is second only to Malik Beasley on the Pistons in catch-and-shoot situations.
Ivey gets even better in the clutch, when he is leading the Pistons in attempts and points while shooting nearly 49 percent from the floor with a couple of game winners already on his resume.
The only area Ivey hasn’t improved is at the free-throw line, as he’s hitting just 73 percent, lowest of his career and unacceptable for a guard who has the ball in his hands so much and shoots a good percentage everywhere else.
This is going to be an interesting summer for Ivey and the Pistons, as he is eligible for an extension, a decision that is looking easier for Detroit, though they still have to consider his long-term role with guys like Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland II coming on and looking like future pieces as well.
Is Jaden Ivey the starting two-guard for the foreseeable future? A 6th man? Trade bait? These are all questions that he and the team will be answering over the upcoming months as they try to work their way into sustained success.
Ivey is ticking most of the boxes so far and his efficient clutch play has been a big part of the Pistons’ improvement this season.