According to reports, Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey has suffered a broken left fibula and will likely miss the remainder of the season.
While a return in the homestretch of the 2024-25 NBA campaign hasn’t been ruled out, Ivey would need to progress rapidly through his rehabilitation process, and the Pistons (15-18) would need to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference playoff race. As of January 2nd, the team occupied the 9th spot in the East, but may find it difficult to replace the 6’4″ guard’s offensive contributions as the season wears on.
Ivey is currently averaging a career best 17.6pts and 4.1 rebounds per game to go along with 4 assists per night as well. He’s also seen a surge in his 3-point percentage of late, jumping from 33.6% in 2023-24 to 40.9% this season.
The talented 22 year old had to be stretchered out of his team’s game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday after Cole Anthony slipped and collided with his left leg. Ivey was in visible pain as his teammates formed a circle around him and held up towels to block the view, indicating that the injury was of the more gruesome kind visually.
“It’s tough. It’s tough on all of us,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said following the contest. “No better teammate, person than J.I. No one who cares more about this thing than him. It’s tough to see.”
“At the heart of this team, and what we’ve tried to preach all year since we’ve been here is togetherness,” Bickerstaff continued. “If one guy goes down, you don’t want to let that guy down, so everybody else has to step up. Again, it’s the emotions, it’s the human aspect of it, but I thought our guys did a really good job of just sticking together and getting it done.”
The former number 5 overall pick out of Purdue in the 2022 NBA Draft has started all 30 games in which he’s appeared for Detroit this season.
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