On Monday night, the Detroit Pistons pulled off an upset victory against the Los Angeles Lakers. For some fans, it felt good to simply celebrate the victory as the Pistons snapped a multi-year losing streak against LeBron James and the Lakers.

For others, it was an opportunity to criticize former Pistons head coach Monty Williams, as Jaden Ivey had a standout performance in the matchup.

@Joe_Truck: Monty Williams really made people think Ivey should be traded

@RapsReport: Remember when Monty Williams refused to play Jaden Ivey? I can’t believe how bad that guy was.

Ivey, a former fifth overall pick out of Purdue, began his career playing for Dwane Casey. After Ivey’s rookie year, the Pistons changed head coaches when Casey resigned and moved into a front-office position. The Pistons signed Monty Williams from the Phoenix Suns.

Ivey’s scoring regressed in his first and only season with Williams. He produced 15 points per game, while shooting 43 percent from the field. From three, Ivey made 34 percent of his shots. He appeared in 77 games, starting 61.

Throughout the 2024 offseason, the Pistons made major changes to the front office and coaching staff. Williams was part of the turnaround and lost his job after just one season. Still, Ivey’s struggles with Williams led many to consider Ivey as a potential trade candidate during the 2024-2025 NBA season due to concerns between Cade Cunningham and the third-year point guard.

After a handful of games, Ivey and Cunningham seem to be a solid fit so far.

@PistonsThoughts: I think Monty Williams should give Jaden Ivey half his money for what he tried to do to him. Jaden Ivey is thriving this season.

@BigPistonsGuy: Monty’s handling of Ivey was coaching negligence and he should donate some money to the team for it.

During a 35-minute shift against the Lakers on Monday, Ivey made 10 of his 16 field goals. Adding five points from the charity stripe, the young veteran scored 26 points, which marked a team-high. In addition to his scoring, Ivey produced four assists and grabbed four rebounds. On defense, he blocked a shot and got a steal.

In seven games this season, Ivey is scoring more and shooting more efficiently. So far, the guard has produced 19 points per game on 44 percent from the field and 39 percent from three.