Former Chicago Bulls guard Jaden Ivey has found himself in all kinds of trouble lately. After sparking some concern with controversial messages on social media, Ivey followed up with some anti-LGBTQ comments, resulting in the Bulls eventually waiving the guard.
For the most part, Chicago’s decision seems justified, especially since it directly affects the team’s image, and the controversy could also act as a distraction. But Jaden Ivey was far from done. While responding to the news of him being waived, Ivey took to social media to clap back at the Bulls.
“They said your conduct has been detrimental to the team,” Ivey explained on his livestream. “I haven’t even been with the team because I’ve been rehabbing. So, how is my conduct detrimental to the team?”
“Where have I done detriment?” Ivey continued. “Did I say, ‘Man, you suck?’ Did I say, ‘You suck,’ to the players? That would be detrimental to the team, right? Because I’m saying the player sucks, and I’m on the same team as him, and he’s my teammate. We’re supposed to be teammates.”
Jaden Ivey responds to the Bulls waiving him for anti-LGBTQ comments:
“They said your conduct has been detrimental to the team… I haven’t even been with the team because I’ve been rehabbing.”
(h/t @MrBuckBuckNBA)pic.twitter.com/E9qNh92xNt
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) March 31, 2026
At this point, Jaden Ivey starts naming highly specific scenarios about what teammates should be doing on the court, including dribble hand-offs and ball screens. Although this seems out of place, it could be speculated that he may be calling out one of the Bulls’ players.
Regardless, the current situation doesn’t necessarily change. In light of Ivey’s remarks, Chicago has chosen to go in a different direction. Now entering free agency, the prospects aren’t very promising.
Will Jaden Ivey Find A New Team?
The 2025-26 season has involved some drastic shifts for Jaden Ivey. While he was widely considered a vital piece in the Detroit Pistons‘ core, he gradually found himself falling out of the rotation due to recurring injuries. Before long, the former first-round pick was traded to the Chicago Bulls.
Moving to the Bulls may have hinted at new beginnings for the guard. In four appearances for Chicago (three starts), Ivey averaged 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists, a promising start to his tenure. Unfortunately, a subsequent knee injury sidelined him for the season.
While promising, Jaden Ivey had effectively become a non-performing asset for the Bulls. When also considering that he was on an expiring contract, he added very little value to the team.
So what does this mean for his future?
Ivey is a talented and athletic guard. Although he is injury-prone, he has shown flashes of brilliance as a scorer. With averages of 14.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game over his career, Ivey is quite impactful.
Unfortunately, the NBA doesn’t have much demand for this player profile. Given that a player like Cam Thomas is also on the free agent market after being waived, Ivey’s prospects are already limited. When factoring in the bad publicity following him at this juncture, it is unlikely that many teams would be interested in approaching the 24-year-old.
