Detroit Pistons Hold Out Jaden Ivey vs Cleveland Cavaliers

Jaden Ivey was not a part of the action against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Oct 25, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the first half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

When the Detroit Pistons took on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night, multiple starters were out for the Pistons.

The starting guard, Jaden Ivey, was not suited up and on the court.

Considering Ivey is returning from a multi-month injury recovery, any absence is bound to raise some red flags heading into the new year. However, the Pistons called it a rest night for Ivey, despite the veteran guard being seen limping following the Pistons’ previous preseason outing.

As the Pistons were in the midst of their shockingly successful 2024-2025 campaign, Ivey went down with a gruesome leg injury. It was his 30th outing of the season, and was turning out to be one of his best.

Nov 1, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) drives to the basket against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) in the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

At the time of the injury, Ivey was having a career year, posting averages of 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists.

The veteran guard was forced to undergo surgery, which immediately put the remainder of his season in danger. As expected, Ivey missed the rest of the regular season. The Pistons cracked a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, landing the sixth seed.

Despite the assumptions about Ivey’s season being over, the veteran guard left the door open for a potential return in the playoffs. As the Pistons were putting up a tough battle against the New York Knicks in the first round, Ivey was eventually cleared to start participating in basketball activities.

However, it didn’t call for an official return to action. Detroit ended up keeping Ivey out of the lineup for the remainder of their playoff run. It’s unclear if a trip to the second round would’ve changed plans and allowed for Detroit to roll out Ivey, but elimination created excitement for the 2025 preseason instead. Ivey’s return went as expected, as he was on the court for the preseason opener.

Apr 5, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) reacts during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The 2025-2026 NBA season is a critical one for Ivey. With three years under his belt, Ivey is entering a contract year for the first time in his career. The Pistons have an extension deadline approaching, and it’s unclear which direction they are headed.

Prior to the 2024-2025 season, Ivey had a lot of question marks surrounding his fit alongside Cade Cunningham. In 2023-2024, he averaged 15.4 points while shooting just 33 percent from three.

Last year, Ivey improved in both areas, producing 17.6 points and shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc before going down after 30 games.

While Tuesday’s rest night called for some concern, the Pistons seem to be running with a routine plan for Ivey. They’ll be back on the court for Thursday’s preseason action against the Washington Wizards, then it’s regular season time against the Chicago Bulls next Wednesday.