On the Mind The Game podcast, LeBron James told his co-host Steve Nash that he believes the Chicago Bulls' Jaden Ivey-Kevin Huerter trade with the Pistons was a "win-win" for both teams. The superstar pointed out how well Ivey was shooting the ball last season before he got hurt, and how beneficial it is for the former No. 5 pick to "maybe get a little more responsibility" with the Bulls.
Chicago has been mediocre (at best) for years now, so while the team's trade deadline moves were somewhat confusing and a little hard to keep up with, it was nice to see the front office take a flier on a talented young player like Ivey.
LeBron liked the Bulls' decision to trade for Jaden Ivey
As LeBron highlighted, Ivey averaged 17.6 points per game on 46% shooting from the field and 40.9% from three last season in Detroit before breaking his leg. He also underwent knee surgery in October, which delayed his season debut. The guard averaged 8.2 points on 45% shooting from the field and 37.2% from three in the 33 games he played for the Pistons this year before the trade.
Ivey didn't look like the player he was before getting injured and having surgery, which is understandable. Chicago hopes a fresh start and a larger role will help him get back to where he was. In the four games he played for the Bulls after the trade and before the All-Star break, he averaged 29 minutes per contest, after playing more than 25 minutes only once during the first half of the season in Detroit.
As LeBron said, the 24-year-old has more responsibility, which was evident right away as he took 12 shots in his Chicago debut. Not only does that benefit Ivey, but it also benefits the Bulls, as the guard will enter restricted free agency this summer.
Chicago acquired him at a low cost (and Huerter struggled in his first few games with Detroit before the break), so that in itself made the trade worth it. The best-case scenario for the Bulls is that Ivey becomes a guard worth investing in as they enter their long-awaited rebuilding phase, regardless of what Artūras Karnišovas wants to call it.
Not often does this front office make moves that fans approve of, but the trade for Ivey could age even better than expected. And it's a bonus that LeBron sees the vision, too.