Jaden Ivey's Upside, Value For Rookie Of The Year Becoming Clear

There's a reason so many teams wanted to draft Ivey

There's certainly a lot of love already being thrown around for Jaden Ivey and, given his upside, it's not surprising.

With the fourth-best odds to win NBA Rookie of the Year (+650 on BetMGM), Ivey comes to Detroit with high expectations after multiple teams tried to trade up, or even poach him from the Pistons before he even played a Summer League game.

Ivey ended up having a strong debut game in Vegas, finishing with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists. His ankle sprain against Washington after just five minutes the next time out led the Pistons to stay cautious and sit him the rest of the way, but from his college days to now, it's clear that along with the other four names who went in the top-five, Ivey belongs in the conversation for best rookie in this class.

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Learning Curve

Ivey, like every rookie, still needs some adjusting to the NBA style of play. He's already talked about his need to have a better understanding of when to use his speed, and when to pull back at times to catch defenders off guard. That's not uncommon for explosive young players and comes down to maturity.

He'll also have to learn to work with Cade Cunningham, who will likely spend a good portion of his time alongside Ivey as the main ball handler.

Ja Morant is the common player comparison for Ivey, due to his athleticism and ability to create his own shot off the dribble. If it can click with Cunningham, and head coach Dwane Casey can find the right role for Ivey, that +650 could bring you a nice return if you're leaning Ivey for NBA ROY.