Often, NBA coaches don’t trust young players. Who could blame them? Sure, an organization may have invested in a young player. A coach wants to win the game. Generally speaking, veteran players are more reliable on that front.
With that in mind, Jaden Ivey of the Detroit Pistons has been demoted to the bench. He hasn’t been demoted in favor of a veteran, either. Killian Hayes has taken his starting spot. Ivey is only a sophomore, but as a result, there’s already speculation that he could be due for a different team in the near future.
We’ll see how this works out. It’s entirely possible that coach Monty Williams is merely trying to motivate the young Ivey to improve defensively.
On the other hand, it’s also possible he’s simply falling out of favor with the Pistons. If that’s the case, could they send him to the Toronto Raptors?
NBA Trade Proposal — Toronto Raptors Land Jaden Ivey
Detroit Pistons Receive: F Otto Porter Kr., F/C Precious Achiuwa, 2027 First-Round Pick (TOR)
Toronto Raptors Receive: G Jaden Ivey
With that said, young players can benefit from patience. Development doesn’t look the same for everyone. Sometimes, a player’s trajectory is hard to predict. Just look at Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors.
After all, Barnes was the 2021-22 Rookie of the Year. His status as a future superstar was unquestionable. Last year, he stagnated. As a result, a lot of fans gave up on Barnes. Luckily, the Raptors didn’t.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors Updates
This year, Barnes looks like an emerging superstar once again. In the end, teams need to trust their own evaluation process. If they think a player has star potential, they should trust their instincts.
Should the Pistons really give up on Ivey already?
Why The Detroit Pistons Do The Deal
Perhaps this has nothing to do with Ivey. It may be that the Pistons simply have too many ball-handlers. Cade Cunningham is likely to be their leading man moving forward. Meanwhile, Ausar Thompson looks like he needs on-ball reps – and he offers much more defensive value than Ivey.
So, Ivey may be the odd man out. If so, this is a good return for the Pistons. Above all else, they’re interested in landing this unprotected first-round pick. For a young, rebuilding Pistons team, that’s a highly valuable asset.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors Updates
Yet, the Pistons should be happy to bring in Porter and Achiuwa as well. The former could be a useful veteran as they aim to make a play-in push this year. The latter could be part of the young core, and allow the Pistons to look at trading Isaiah Stewart or James Wiseman.
Alternatively, they could move Achiuwa down the road. Should the Raptors move him now?
Why The Toronto Raptors Do The Deal
The Raptors could use a lead guard. This team has been struggling to create in half-court sets for two consecutive seasons. On the other hand, taking a flyer on a sophomore isn’t necessarily a safe way to go about satisfying that need.
Sure. On the other hand, the Raptors ought to be focused on the future. Even then, this isn’t a perfect deal. Toronto is parting with an unprotected first-round pick here. Are we sure about this?
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors Updates
Yes. After all, they’re bringing in Jaden Ivey. He was recently selected fifth in the draft. If any team besides the Sacramento Kings had the fourth pick, they’d likely have selected Ivey. He could be Barnes’ co-star of the future. He just needs the Raptors to trust him.
