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NBA Draft 2022 Rumors: Jaden Ivey Gets 'Hot and Cold' Reviews from Pistons at No. 5
June 2, 2022
Purdue guard Jaden Ivey is reportedly drawing "mixed reviews" from the Detroit Pistons, who own the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft.
James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reported Thursday the Pistons are running "hot and cold" on Ivey as they work to narrow down their list of targets ahead of the June 23 event.
Auburn's Jabari Smith, Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren and Duke's Paolo Banchero are expected to come off the board in some combination over the first three picks.
Detroit is tasked with identifying its preferred options among the next tier of prospects, a process that's still ongoing.
Edwards noted the Pistons' front office has shown interest in Iowa forward Keegan Murray and Arizona wing Bennedict Mathurin, but the key question marks over the next few weeks are Ivey and Kentucky guard Shaedon Sharpe.
General manager Troy Weaver and his staff are still trying to "formulate an opinion" on Sharpe, who's scheduled to work out for Detroit before the draft, per Edwards.
Meanwhile, Ivey has been generating a lot of hype as the draft moves closer.
ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported Tuesday the Purdue standout is generating some interest from the Houston Rockets at No. 3, which could shake up the top five, while Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer noted the Indiana Pacers at No. 6 are his floor.
Ivey is coming off a sophomore season with the Boilermakers where he averaged 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 threes across 36 appearances.
While his ability to create offense is among the best in the class and his on-ball defense has improved in recent years, his offensive efficiency is a concern.
The 2022 First Team All-Big Ten selection shot a modest 46 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from three-point range in 2021-22. His assist-to-turnover ratio (3.1-2.6) was also lackluster.
Although that creates some boom-or-bust potential around his draft stock, he has definite All-Star upside if he makes progress in that aspect of the game.
It sounds like Ivey may be off the board by the time the Pistons are on the clock, but deciding whether to take him if he's still available will be an important moment for the front office.