Since returning from injury, Jaden Ivey has had several moments when he has shown flashes of a player far from working his way back.
The latest came during the Detroit Pistons’ 136-127 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night. Ivey received a pass from Caris LeVert on the fast break and finished over the top of Kings guard DeMar DeRozan with a right-handed layup.
It marked one of the few times Ivey displayed the speed and athleticism that established him as an essential part of the Pistons’ young core. He finished the night at Golden 1 Center with eight points, three assists, three rebounds and two blocks. Ivey delivered one of his best performances since returning from injury on Nov. 22. However, the fourth-year guard played just 14 minutes Tuesday night.
He currently has a 15-minute restriction due to a broken left fibula and a right knee injury he sustained over a nine-month period. Although Ivey appears ready to play for more than 15 minutes each time he steps on the floor, coach J.B. Bickerstaff indicated that the Pistons have a plan to manage his minutes during his return.
“A lot of it has to do with how he feels the next day; it is more of a performance and staff conversation,” Bickerstaff said. “There is a plan in place for him to ramp up, and to ramp up where he is comfortable and confident, where he can get back to playing his full minutes.”
Ivey has played in 16 games this season, averaging 8.2 points on 48% shooting from the field. He has played 15 or more minutes only four times since returning from injury.
His most minutes came during Detroit’s 112-105 win over the Boston Celtics on Dec. 15. Ivey played a season-high 20 minutes, giving the Pistons a significant boost off the bench, adding 10 points, three assists, three rebounds and two steals at TD Garden.
In addition to adhering to the minutes restriction, Bickerstaff has credited the team’s depth for the limited playing time Ivey has received. The majority of Ivey’s minutes have come in the first three quarters, as he has received little to no playing time in the fourth period.
“We are in a great situation with the amount of guys we have on the floor and the successes we have been able to have,” Bickerstaff said. “We are trying to balance bringing guys back with keeping the continuity going.”
Ivey was a full-time starter who averaged 30.0 minutes per game during his first three seasons in the NBA. However, this season he has come off the bench in every game, with his playing time cut in half to an average of 15.0 minutes.
However, if Ivey continues to show the promise he displayed against the Kings, it will not be long before Bickerstaff and the Pistons are compelled to increase his minutes.