Jaden Ivey
Jaden Ivey underwent knee surgery last month before the start of the season.
The Detroit Pistons are set to get a key player back in Jaden Ivey, who has made steps to make his return from injury. Ivey has been out since October 16 after undergoing right knee surgery.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Ivey was initially given a four-week recovery timeline from an arthroscopic procedure to relieve discomfort in his right knee. He’s already past the timeline, but Pistons fans won’t have to wait longer for his season debut.
Pistons beat reporter Omari Sankofa II shared that Ivey took part in his first shooting drills since his surgery at the team’s Midtown practice facility on November 14. He has been cleared for on-court workouts, though there’s still no timetable for his return. He also took some shots before Detroit’s NBA Cup against the Philadelphia 76ers at Little Caesars Arena later that day.
Ivey hasn’t played in a regular-season game since January 1, when he suffered a broken fibula. He collided with then-Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony during a loose ball play. He underwent immediate surgery and missed the rest of the campaign.
His knee procedure was unrelated to his leg injury since he was able to play in the Pistons’ first preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies. He complained about knee discomfort after 14 minutes of play before the team announced his surgery.
Pistons Doing Well Without Ivey
The Detroit Pistons are doing alright despite Jaden Ivey’s absence since New Year’s Day last season. The Pistons made the playoffs as the sixth seed, taking it to the New York Knicks in the first round before getting eliminated in six games.
For this season, the Pistons are off to a fantastic start at 11-2, which is the best record in the Eastern Conference and second-best in the NBA. They began the season at 1-2 before going on a nine-game winning streak entering Monday’s game against the injury-plagued Indiana Pacers, as per NBA.com.
Cade Cunningham is taking the right steps into superstardom, while Jalen Duren has made strides as a consistent double-double threat. They have been ravaged by injuries as well, playing without Ivey, Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart and Marcus Sasser for the majority of the first month of the campaign.
Pistons Coach on Ivey’s Injury Woes
Speaking to Coty M. Davis of the Detroit Free News before the season started, Detroit Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff expressed his support for Jaden Ivey. Bickerstaff understood what the young player was going through, especially after his devastating injury midway through last season.
“It is tough for him; that is what you feel more than anything. Going through what he went through last year, working his way back, and then having this happen to him, it was frustrating for him,” Bickerstaff said.
Bickerstaff has shown that he might be the perfect coach for the Pistons after 31 combined wins in the past two seasons under Dwayne Casey and Monty Williams. Bickerstaff helped the Pistons win 44 games in his first year in charge, making the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and winning their first postseason game since 2008.
Juan Paolo David Juan Paolo David is a sports journalist covering basketball for Heavy. He has a decade of experience writing about the NBA and WWE. He’s currently based in the Philippines. More about Juan Paolo David
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