The Detroit Pistons hoped Jaden Ivey would evolve into the second star the team needed this season, but instead, they had to trade him away for a guy who barely plays and a pick swap that would currently move the Pistons up three spots in the 2026 Draft.
Coming into the season, fans hoped for one of two outcomes with Ivey, either he becomes the secondary scoring option the team still lacks, or the Pistons use him as the centerpiece of a trade that would land them that player.
But Ivey’s early injury presented a third option, which is that Ivey doesn’t look right and never plays well enough to help the Pistons or to be a trade asset.