The Detroit Pistons are not expected to make a big splash at the Feb. 5 trade deadline, but they are reportedly gauging the market for Jaden Ivey. About to hit restricted free agency in the summer, Ivey makes sense as the odd man out in Detroit.
With the emergence of Daniss Jenkins in the backcourt and the looming near-max level extension for Jalen Duren, the fourth-year player has become expendable. Instead of getting priced out in free agency over the summer, the Pistons are wisely exploring trade opportunities for him.
Ivey hasn't been able to expand his role within the team since his return from injury. Even though it has been 30 games since returning, his minutes have been stuck between 15 and 20 minutes per game, and he rarely closes games for head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. That seemingly impacts the 23-year-old guard, who hasn't had the best body language in recent weeks.
All signs are pointing towards an Ivey trade before the deadline. Who are the most realistic landing spots for Ivey in a potential trade deadline move?
4 Likeliest Jaden Ivey Trade Partners for Pistons
1. Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards already signaled an intention to take a step forward next season with their Trae Young acquisition. Tired of rebuilding, the Wizards want to be relevant and competitive. This means that they will continue to consolidate their young talent to bring in more proven, high-upside players. Ivey fits that bill.
Ivey has shown significant improvement on the defensive end this season. He looks bigger and stronger, making him a nice fit next to Young. He is also making 37.9% of his threes this season, suggesting that he can play more off the ball with Young taking over the ball-handling duties.
Washington has a ton of draft capital and young players that could be of interest to the Pistons. If Detroit wants a more veteran player, a third team can get involved, but the Wizards are the right combination of need, desperation, and assets for an Ivey deal.
2. New Orleans Pelicans
The Pistons are reportedly interested in Herb Jones of the New Orleans Pelicans. If a deal materializes, Ivey will most likely be the asset going the Pelicans' way, in addition to draft capital.
New Orleans is in the early stages of a rebuild and needs all the talent it can acquire. They are building around Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen, and Trey Murphy, but still need more long-term pieces to feel good about their future. Trading for Ivey would be a low-cost way to get more talent in the door. By re-signing him in the offseason, they could have a young starter on a team-friendly deal for many years.
3. Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks kick-started their rebuild once they landed the No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. They still haven't made the necessary moves to take the next step in their rebuild, a.k.a. trading Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, but that is only a matter of time. Once they do that, they will have to build out the roster around Flagg.
The most glaring hole on the roster is a capable point guard. The Mavericks need to take as many flyers as possible to land their long-term starting point guard, and Ivey is as good a flyer as any. It wouldn't cost much for Dallas to bring him in, and he could build a partnership with Flagg and Dereck Lively for years to come.
The Pistons could have some interest in Max Christie and Naji Marshall from the Mavericks, as well as Klay Thompson. The Mavs have too many assets and players who fit the Pistons, making this a potentially fascinating win-win trade scenario.
4. Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets have a long way to go before they can become a competitive basketball team again.
The Nets have solid veterans like Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton, but they lack blue-chip prospects. None of the five rookies they drafted in the 2025 NBA draft looks like a surefire future star. Egor Demin, Ben Saraf, Drake Powell, and Nolan Traore all have some potential, but the sample size is still far too small on any of them to say they will be a part of the next great Nets team.
Therefore, bringing in more young talent is the only way to build a sustainable winner in Brooklyn.
The Nets will likely not give up draft picks to acquire Ivey, but they have more cap space and financial flexibility than any other team in the league. They could get involved in a multi-team trade to land Ivey while the Pistons acquire an impactful veteran in return.
And with Brooklyn's cap space in the 2026 offseason, the Nets can sign Ivey to a lucrative, long-term deal, making them the perfect landing spot to turn his career around.