Following a quiet offseason, one of the biggest storylines for the Detroit Pistons was core members returning in full force. Among the players that has gotten a lot of attention since training camp got underway is guard Jaden Ivey.
In his third season with the Pistons, Ivey looked like he was taking a big step forward in his development in 2025. New head coach J.B. Bickerstaff put him in a featured role, and it quickly yielded positive results.
Early in the year, Ivey looked like he was on pace for a career year. Along with averaging 17.6 PPG and 4.0 APG, he was converting over 40% of his three-point attempts. However, things came to a screeching halt for Ivey on New Year’s Day.
During a matchup against the Orlando Magic, Cole Anthony fell on Ivey while diving for a loose ball. The Pistons guard ended up suffering a broken leg on the play, shelving him for months. A return at the end of the year wasn’t ruled out initially, but Ivey never returned to the lineup.
Oct 6, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) dribbles during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Upon having months to recover, Ivey was back to 100% by the time training camp got underway last week. Monday marked a big night for the former No. 5 pick, as it marked his first time back in the Pistons’ lineup in 10 months.
Ivey logged 13 minutes of action in the Pistons’ preseason opener against the Grizzlies. He ended the night with seven points, one rebound, and one assist on 2-for-5 shooting from the field.
Following the game, Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was asked about having Ivey back for the first time since January. He cited that it was not only a good moment for him, but for the team as a whole.
“It’s great for everybody,” Bickerstaff said. “One, for him, most importantly, to be able to get back on the court doing the things that he loves to do, but also him being back with his teammates. He missed them, they missed him, being in the fight with him and he missed that as well.”
Picking up where we left off pic.twitter.com/jjFqAHSUen
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) October 9, 2025
Preseason will be crucial for Ivey as he looks to shake the rust off before the action officially gets underway. In his return, he’ll aim to get back to the level of play we saw before his devastating injury.
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