The Detroit Pistons basketball is back! Kicking off the 2025-26 season on the road against the Bulls on Wednesday, the expectations are higher in Detroit than it has been in a long time. After the surprise playoff appearance last season, Cade Cunningham & Co. are expected to take another step forward.
The increased expectations, however, mean that Jaden Ivey is starting the season on thin ice. The deadline to sign rookie-scale extensions has passed as of 6 pm on Monday, meaning that Ivey, as well as Jalen Duren, is now entering the final year of his contract. Next summer, he will be a restricted free agent, potentially leaving the Pistons if the team doesn't match the offer sheet Ivey gets on the market.
Jaden Ivey's Future in Detroit Is Complicated After Lack of Extension
To complicate matters further, Ivey is currently sidelined after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure to relieve knee discomfort. He will be re-evaluated in four weeks, but it's hard to imagine him coming back around that time considering that any procedure, no matter how minor, usually has a longer recovery timeline. Plus, he is already coming back from a broken fibula that he suffered last year, and hasn't played an NBA game in over nine months.
In Ivey's absence, Caris LeVert and Marcus Sasser will be the primary beneficiaries, taking on the secondary playmaking role next to Cunningham. Ausar Thompson will also take on a larger ball-handling role, with preseason standout Daniss Jenkins potentially earning a spot in the rotation.
If the Pistons get off to a good start without Ivey, the 23-year-old combo guard may find it hard to crack the starting lineup on his way back. He could be the sixth man upon his return, and while his style would fit that role and make him one of the best backups in the league, it would lower his value around the league.
The most important swing skill for Ivey will be shooting. In a small sample last season, he made over 40% of his threes. If he can keep that up, he would be an excellent fit as a backcourt partner for Cunningham. If he is closer to his career mark of 35.2%, however, his fit becomes more questionable on an already shooting-challenged team.
The Pistons already had proof-of-concept last year that they can win at a high level without Ivey. This already may have lowered Ivey's value in the front office's eyes, as highlighted by the lack of contract extension. Another similar season could eventually force Ivey out of Detroit.