The Pistons Move On from Jaden Ivey, Betting on Fit and Floor Spacing
The Detroit Pistons have made their move. In a season where every decision feels like it’s aimed at building a team that can finally make some noise in the playoffs, the front office chose to part ways with Jaden Ivey - a former top-five pick whose time in Detroit ended before it ever fully took off.
It’s a tough pill to swallow for fans who saw flashes of brilliance from Ivey just a season ago. But after a broken leg derailed his momentum midway through the 2024-25 campaign, and a follow-up arthroscopic knee surgery delayed his return, the version of Ivey that came back simply wasn’t the same.
He averaged 8.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game in limited minutes, largely coming off the bench as he worked to regain rhythm and confidence. But while Ivey was trying to find his footing, the Pistons’ rotation evolved - and not in a way that favored his skill set.
Daniss Jenkins emerged as a steady hand off the bench, carving out the backup point guard role with a level of consistency the team needed. That essentially squeezed Ivey out of the playmaking picture, especially with Cade Cunningham continuing to be the offensive centerpiece. And with Ivey no longer producing at the level that once earned him a starting spot, Detroit decided to make a move.
The Pistons sent Ivey to the Chicago Bulls in a three-team deal that brought back Kevin Huerter, Dario Šarić, and a first-round pick swap with the Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s a trade that raised eyebrows - not because of who they got back, but because of when they chose to move on from Ivey. Selling low on a young player with upside is always risky, and there’s no sugarcoating the fact that Detroit moved Ivey at a time when his trade value had dipped.
Still, Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon explained the rationale clearly: it was all about fit and flexibility.
“We wish JI the best, he’s been great here,” Langdon said before Detroit’s matchup with the Knicks. “But for us, it was about finding the right fit going forward - giving [head coach J.B.
Bickerstaff] more optionality with lineups. We needed spacing, and we thought Kevin [Huerter] brings that.”
Langdon pointed to Huerter’s track record - his off-ball movement, his shooting gravity, and his ability to create space for teammates - as a key reason for the deal. Whether he’s playing alongside Cade or anchoring non-Cade minutes, Huerter gives the Pistons a new dimension offensively. And while he’s not known as a defensive stopper, Langdon believes Huerter’s size and improved effort on that end will help him mesh with the current group.
The Pistons also get a veteran with playoff experience. Huerter’s been deep into the postseason before - most notably during his time with the Atlanta Hawks - and that matters for a Detroit team trying to build toward meaningful basketball in May and June. Ivey, for all his promise, never got the chance to experience that with the Pistons.
In his debut, Huerter didn’t light up the box score - he went scoreless in six minutes against the Wizards. But in his second game, he looked far more comfortable, scoring eight points on 4-of-6 shooting. His first bucket came on a smart cut to the rim off a two-man action with Paul Reed - a subtle but encouraging sign that he’s already picking up on the Pistons’ offensive flow.
This move isn’t just about who’s better today. It’s about building a roster that complements its stars, stretches the floor, and can hold up when the lights get brighter. The Pistons are betting that Huerter’s shooting and playoff poise will pay dividends - even if it meant saying goodbye to a young guard who once looked like a foundational piece.
The Jaden Ivey chapter in Detroit may have ended earlier than expected, but the Pistons’ front office is focused on what’s next. And what’s next, they hope, is a team that’s still playing deep into the spring.