The Detroit Pistons made their move at the trade deadline, sending former top-five pick Jaden Ivey to the Chicago Bulls as part of a three-team deal. In return, Detroit brings in Kevin Huerter, Dario Šarić, and a protected 2026 first-round pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves - a package that signals a shift in direction for a team still searching for its identity.
For Ivey, this marks a tough but potentially revitalizing change. The 22-year-old guard had shown flashes of real promise in Detroit, especially during his sophomore season when he averaged 17.6 points per game on 46% shooting from the field and a sharp 41% from deep.
He was starting 30 games, logging 30 minutes a night, and looking like a key piece of the Pistons’ rebuild. But that momentum was derailed by a season-ending leg injury against the Orlando Magic, followed by a preseason knee surgery that set him back even further.
When Ivey returned this season, he found himself in a smaller role off the bench, averaging just 8.2 points in under 17 minutes per game. The explosiveness - that trademark burst that made him such a dynamic scorer out of Purdue - just wasn’t there. Whether it was lingering effects from the injuries or a shift in team philosophy, the Pistons ultimately decided it was time for a reset - for both sides.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff didn’t shy away from the emotional side of the move.
“It’s always tough,” Bickerstaff said. “You build relationships with people, you care about people, and then tough business decisions have to be made.”
He praised Ivey’s professionalism and resilience through a challenging stretch, especially after being asked to adjust to a different role following his injury. “A lot of guys wouldn’t have been able to handle that,” Bickerstaff added.
“I’m extremely appreciative of the way that he handled it.”
Ivey’s story in Detroit was about more than just basketball. It was personal.
He had deep ties to the city - his father, Javin Hunter, played high school hoops at Detroit Country Day. His mother, Niele Ivey, suited up for the Detroit Shock in 2005.
And his grandfather, James Hunter, was a standout cornerback for the Lions in the late '70s and early '80s. When Ivey was drafted No. 5 overall in 2022, the emotion was raw - this was a homecoming, a dream realized.
The Pistons had hoped to build a long-term backcourt around Ivey and Cade Cunningham, with Jalen Duren anchoring the paint. There were glimpses of that vision coming to life - moments when the Ivey-Cunningham pairing looked like a real problem for opposing defenses. But injuries, shifting rotations, and the natural growing pains of a rebuild kept that vision from fully materializing.
Now, Detroit turns the page. In Huerter, they get a proven shooter who can stretch the floor and provide spacing for Cunningham.
Šarić brings veteran savvy and frontcourt versatility. And the protected first-rounder gives the Pistons another asset to work with as they continue to retool.
For Ivey, Chicago offers a fresh start - a chance to reset, get healthy, and remind everyone why he was a top-five pick not long ago. And for the Pistons, this trade marks a pivot point in their rebuild - a move that may not be flashy, but could prove foundational down the line.