Arguably the best deal the Chicago Bulls made at the trade deadline was shipping Kevin Huerter and Dario Šarić (who had been acquired just a day earlier in a separate trade) to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for former fifth-overall pick Jaden Ivey. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. also came to Chicago as part of the deal but was rerouted in a subsequent trade to the Charlotte Hornets.
Nonetheless, solely acquiring Ivey was a win for the Bulls. The 24-year-old averaged at least 15.4 points and 3.8 assists across his first three seasons in the Motor City before his third year was cut short by a leg fracture. Ivey initially appeared to be the perfect complement alongside star guard Cade Cunningham.
Jaden Ivey fell out of favor in Detroit
Yet, as the Pistons flipped a switch, going from 14–18 at the time of Ivey’s injury to finishing 44–38 and pushing the Knicks in the first round of the 2025 playoffs, the team’s evolution made Ivey feel expendable. He began the 2025–26 campaign on the shelf and, upon returning, wasn’t given much opportunity, averaging just 16.8 minutes per game for Detroit before being traded.
But was it really Ivey’s fault, or did he simply need a change of scenery to get back on track before the injury? Not to mention, the fractured leg wasn’t his only setback—he also underwent knee surgery in the offseason, which delayed his 2025–26 debut.
Chicago presents a timely change of scenery
Questions about a lack of burst or lingering rust are fair. But this is still Ivey, and neither a fractured leg nor arthroscopic knee surgery qualifies as catastrophic. While he may still be rounding into form, he’ll have ample opportunity to do so in Chicago.
A return to the production he posted before last season’s injury wouldn’t be surprising. Prior to going down, Ivey was averaging a career-high 17.6 points, to go along with 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, while shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from beyond the arc. And he did it all at just 22 years old. It’s fair to assume there’s even more to unlock in Ivey’s game.
Let’s also not forget who Ivey was traded for. Chicago sent Huerter, a solid reserve, in exchange for him. While the 27-year-old had played well for the Bulls, his greatest strength, three-point shooting, had fallen off significantly and continues to trend downward. Huerter shot 31.4 percent from deep prior to the trade and just 11.1 percent after landing in Detroit. It’s been a massive win for the Bulls—and it will look even better if Ivey rediscovers his groove.
Although the pre-All-Star break version of Ivey wasn’t particularly eye-popping (and Huerter edges him in most counting stats), the post-All-Star version has the potential to change that narrative. With an expanded role and little external pressure, Ivey could be positioned to play the best basketball of his career.