Jaden Ivey’s latest injury update could perfectly align with Pistons’ playoff aspirations

Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey has been absent from the court since Jan. 1, when he suffered a broken fibula after Magic guard Cole Anthony landed on his ankle while diving for a loose ball.

Despite Ivey's absence, who has consistently elevated Detroit's offense, the team has managed to punch its ticket to the playoffs while bypassing the NBA Play-In Tournament.

With just three games left on their schedule, the team is looking ahead to the playoffs, where they appear to be on a collision course with the New York Knicks. On Thursday, the team shared a press release, updating fans on Ivey's status ahead of the postseason.

According to the update, Ivey is making progress in his recovery and has been cleared for basketball activities. As a result, he's now set to begin ramping up in anticipation of a return.

The press release also notably indicates that Ivey's status will be updated in another two weeks. Given that the first round of the playoffs is set to tip off on Apr. 19, it sounds like there's a chance Ivey winds up returning to action in the first round.

Considering he's been out for several months now, and will be returning from a pretty significant injury, expect Jaden Ivey to be on a minutes restriction if he does wind up returning in the first round.

Looking at what Jaden Ivey's return means for Detroit heading into the NBA Playoffs

This season, Detroit will return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, when Blake Griffin led the team to a 41-win season.

While the team finished the 2023-24 season in last place in the Eastern Conference, they've found their rhythm under coach JB Bickerstaff this year.

Prior to going down with an injury, Ivey was averaging 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists over 29.9 minutes of action per game. Additionally, Ivey had shown impressive growth when it came to his efficiency, jumping from a 42.9% field goal percentage to a 46.0%.

Similarly, from beyond the arc, Ivey is shooting a career-high 40.9%, up from 33.6% last year.

Given all of that, it's hard to understate how big of an impact Ivey's return will have on Detroit.