All signs point towards a relatively quiet NBA trade deadline for the Detroit Pistons. The Eastern Conference leaders don't seem too interested in messing with the winning formula and are more likely than not to stand pat around Feb 5. On Thursday, NBA insider Jake Fischer confirmed this approach in his latest trade deadline intel, but also included a fascinating detail about Jaden Ivey.
Per Fischer, the Pistons are "known to be gauging the market for fourth-year guard Jaden Ivey." With less than a month to go before the trade deadline, where there's smoke, there could be a fire brewing.
Pistons Trading Jaden Ivey Before Deadline Keeps Getting Likelier
On paper, Detroit doing its due diligence makes sense.
Ivey hasn't been able to increase his playing time as the Pistons are slowly trying to integrate him into a winning team. After the addition of Caris LeVert and the rise of Daniss Jenkins, there aren't too many minutes to go around for Ivey, who has been stuck around 20 minutes per game since his return. Considering that he will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, the Pistons are wise to explore trade options for Ivey.
In practice, trading Ivey is a fascinating challenge. The Pistons can send Ivey to a team in essentially a salary dump move to get future flexibility and maybe draft capital in return. They can also get a veteran player back, likely to the frontcourt, without giving up anything else of value. Or, they could attach draft capital and more salary to Ivey's contract and chase a higher-profile player.
A lot of Pistons fans hope the front office goes that final route. Yet, that doesn't seem to be in the cards. Michael Porter Jr., Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Trey Murphy are regularly rumored to be potential Pistons targets, but the reporting out of Detroit suggests that is an unlikely path for the front office.
Thefact that Ivey's name is out there as someone on the trade market signals an inevitable exit. The Pistons will have to give a near-max extension to Jalen Duren in the offseason. They likely won't have the appetite or the financial means to give Ivey a lucrative, long-term deal. If a team gives the talented combo guard an attractive offer sheet, the Pistons will be hard-pressed to match that offer, meaning that Ivey could walk for nothing.
With that being a real possibility, the Pistons will presumably leave no stone unturned to see if they can get a difference-maker in return for their former fifth-overall pick.