5:03 pm: The Bulls just put out a press release confirming they have waived Ivey for conduct detrimental to the team.
4:30 pm: The Bulls have waived Jaden Ivey, according to the official transaction log at NBA.com (hat tip to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line).
According to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), Chicago decided to release Ivey due to his recent “anti-LGBTQ comments amid several rants on religion and other topics.”
Ivey has made a string of recent “inflammatory comments” on Instagram live over the last week, writes Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic. Monday’s comments about the NBA’s advocacy for the LGBTQ community was reportedly the final straw for the Bulls.
“The world can proclaim LGBTQ, right?” Ivey told viewers on Monday morning. “They proclaim Pride Month. And the NBA, they proclaim it. They show it to the world. They say, ‘come join us for Pride Month, to celebrate unrighteousness.’ They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim it in the streets. Unrighteousness.”
Ivey has also been condemning those who he thinks haven’t been “saved,” per Joel Cowley of The Chicago-Sun Times, who first reported that the team was working with the league “on an exit strategy” from the 24-year-old.
Ivey only made four appearances with the Bulls due to a left knee injury the team later called patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as runner’s knee. He was shut down for the rest of the season last Thursday.
As Cowley notes, the former Purdue star made some unprompted comments that raised eyebrows around the league about two weeks after he was acquired from Detroit ahead of the February trade deadline. Ivey repeatedly referenced his faith at the time and declared that he doesn’t “really trust the NBA setting.”
Asked on February 19 if there were still health-related steps to take before he regains his former athleticism, Ivey replied, “I’m sure people can call it out — I’m not the same player I used to be,” he said. “(The knee soreness is) why. I’m not the J.I. I used to be. The old J.I. is dead. I’m alive in Christ no matter what the basketball setting is.”
According to ESPN, Ivey has talked in the past about battling depression.
The fifth overall pick in the 2022 draft, Ivey was having a career year for the Pistons in 2024/25, averaging 17.6 points and 4.0 assists per game with a .460/.409/.733 shooting line, before he suffered a broken fibula in his left leg that ended his season. His return in the fall was delayed after he underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee.
Ivey lacked his previous explosiveness in 37 games for Detroit and Chicago this season, registering averages of 8.5 PPG and 1.8 APG on .445/.373/.809 shooting in a reduced role (18.1 MPG).
Ivey would have been on track for restricted free agency this summer if he had received a qualifying offer, but that will no longer be the case. He will be unrestricted in a couple days if he clears the waiver wire.
Whoa
Ok I didn’t know of any of the background and the story just read that Ivey had been waived. So I was a bit surprised but now there’s some extra context.
Should the Lakers take him now?
Jaden Ivey was selected as the 5th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. He was drafted out of Purdue University
He has the same potential as Kuminga.
The Warriors should pick him up since he has the same injury Curry does.
That will never happen
I hope he gets some mental health assistance, it seems that he’s been spiraling online recently. Best of luck to him.
He’s standing on his beliefs, so why does he need assistance with his mental health?
Because he equated LGBTQ inclusion with “unrighteousness.” No matter how much the tide is turning in the political environment against pride, it’s still gross and uncalled for.
@Memphis, he did have some other comments related to the injury that I saw video excerpts of and it did not seem, at least from that, that his mental state was great. He sounded very defeated about the injury. I honestly haven’t heard of read any of this recent stuff so I won’t comment on that
If your beliefs involve denigrating a group of people just trying to live their lives that in no way affect you, you might need some mental health assistance. Especially since I’m guessing his beliefs stem from the Christian faith which says love everyone, so the only explanation is his own bigotry, which he probably should get some help on.
@MemphisKidd: “He’s standing on his beliefs”
Why, though? No one asked him, no one challenged him or his beliefs. There is absolutely zero for him to gain by doing this. What does “standing on his beliefs” even mean?
Hatred is not a belief but an emotion from evil. I never heard Jesus say anything bad about LBGT but it was going on during his times. there is teh problem people put their hate into religion to pretend God approves it.
TBF it was not a publicly prevalent lifestyle that Jesus would have had to address. In Ivey’s defense why should he have to promote a lifestyle that he disagrees with, just because the NBA wants to use its platform for their own equal but opposite agenda.
@philly If you read the bible almost everthing you do is against God and every sin counts the same. So if there was a banker’s night in the NBA would that be against his religion since loaning money for profit is a sin. how about all NBA players playing on Sunday?
I think he been spiraling since the injury, he was never the same and like most athletes with pro ambitions have no back up plan.
Other than the fact that he said if you are a sinner then God doesn’t hear your prayers, because we are all that and not perfect, I believe he’s got a backbone to stand on what he believes. Just saying. He shouldn’t be let go because of what he stands on, nor should he be canceled.
He wasn’t very good playing once he came back. No pro sports team is going to stand by a middling at best player and alienate possible fans. Jaden I’ve does not pull in more money or better the franchise while some Bulls fans are LGBTQ so business decision. If he was Ant Edward’s or Puka in the NFL level talent he would be fine. Maybe he can have some weird YouTube following for those that think like him and want to give him money.
@MemphisKidd: “He shouldn’t be let go because of what he stands on, nor should he be canceled”
Employers shouldn’t have to keep an employee that is affecting their bottom line negatively by being hateful.
Again, no one asked him what his beliefs are. Before this, no one cared. He has every right to believe whatever he wants in private, but once he brings it out in public, his employer has the right to do what they see fit. He’s not being “canceled”. The Bulls just decided he’s not worth the headache. And let’s be real: if he were playing well, they wouldn’t be doing this (Anthony Edwards, for example, has said far worse). So in a way, he played himself out of a job.
I hadn’t heard or seen his comments, but they couldn’t have been good. When your team is lottery bound, you get less leeway on what you say.
….Why are you commenting on something you haven’t heard or read?
So other people can point out their ignorance.
The Bulls will survive. It’s not like they have no G options around either to re sign or draft. You can’t really miss something you never really had. But Raz is right. Exactly what trade has AK made that worked out really? I mean Leonard Miller is looking up but does anyone have high hopes for Dillingham? I mean he’s a PG who can’t hang onto the ball. Sexton and Simons are what they have always been but might not be here anymore. Waiting until the last minute really worked out Huh? LMAO
At this point I just laugh, other than Giddey deal, what trade has worked in AK’s benefit?
They took a flyer on him. He was acquired for the expiring contract of Kevin Huerter. The trade was fine and exactly what they should have done.
It would’ve been a really good trade for the bulls except how could they have predicted that Ivey would do his Meyers Leonard impression
It would be a good thing to re sign Huerter back who kind of reminds me of Kyle Korver while Ivey apparently turned into Ron Artest or whatever it was he changed his name to. Sounds like we might be hearing from him again except it will be on Cops. Bulls have enough problems without that one.
Saying Kevin Huerter reminds you of Kyle Korver is like saying Jeremy Sochan reminds you of Dennis Rodman.
Huerter does a lot of things and is a handy guy to have around and you can move him around. Korver was probably a little better shooter but Huerter was at the beginning too. I think it was a pretty accurate comparison.
Off to europe
Dawg what
This is a case where someone doesn’t stand behind or endorse what his employer propagates. Most keep their mouth quiet and collect the check and do the best job they can.
Then there’s others who put their personal convictions before their employment and that’s the case we have here.
I think young impressionable men that happen to be millionaires are prime targets for religious manipulators and schemers. I believe someone swooped in when Ivey was vulnerable sometime during injury or recovery and has destroyed his belief in himself and his benevolence to marginalized groups within society. He’s not the first, and it’s very sad to see. I’m not excusing his message, though I don’t think he came to these conclusions and declarations all on his own. I understand compassion toward those people in which he denigrates with his words, and an absence of that same compassion towards Ivey when he says hurtful and ignorant things.
But before you respond with what punishment you think he deserves, try and have the nuance and understanding for his possible mental health deterioration and/or manipulation, and by having the understanding and compassion for Ivey, the exact compassion and understanding that Ivey lacked in this moment or possibly his greater life, you will be living the morals and setting the proper example of how to treat people, instead of committing to him the same mistreatment that Ivey himself has done to others.
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequence, unfortunately.
I would argue that it is “fortunately”. Actions having consequences is a good thing.
I meant it’s unfortunate for him losing his job not that we shouldn’t have consequences.
Gotcha, sorry. Misunderstood your point!
True, calling people unrighteous for their sexual identity doesn’t sound like someone who promotes freedom lol
He’s a FA. So all they did was speed up the process.
His injury should not have been a problem. Yet it’s been nothing but problems. Ivey better get his act together. He had or has real talent. You going to throw it all away. Yeah you can search it. He’s posted some weird shhh. Seems like he has too much time on his hands. NBA should help him if its clinical.
link to nationaltoday.com
I had Ivey pegged as the #54 Shooting Guard in the NBA.
The knee injury robbed him of his finishing & creation potential, but he was still a good shooter off the dribble. He still had potential to be a younger version of Jordan Clarkson.
He was certainly looking at offers above the minimum given his age/potential. Now he might have blackballed himself. No team was willing to sign the far superior Malik Beasley this offseason.
Everyone reading this has a real job and knows they can’t post whatever they want on social media. He’ll be right there with us soon lol. Hope his beliefs were worth the tens of millions of dollars he just fumbled.
You guys thought Cam Thomas was unemployable? Ivey just said hold my chalice.
Jaden Ivey in his Instagram comments:
“Catholicism is a false religion. And is not the true Doctrine of Christ. [It] does not lead to salvation in Jesus Christ.”
“You don’t judge righteously because you yourself are not righteous. You clearly have a speck in your eye, so you [can’t] get a speck out of someone else’s eye.”
“God does not hear your Prayer if you are a sinner.”
“Y’all don’t take the word of God seriously,” Ivey said. “… The Lord is not going to say on Judgment Day, ‘What’s the updated score? What’s the score of Purdue Boilermakers? What’s the score of the Detroit Pistons? Jesus is not going to say that on Judgment Day. He’s going to say, ‘What did you do for my kingdom?’”
Just another narcissistic zealot. Hope he enjoys his second career as a niche podcaster.
He needs to brush up on his Christian theology.
Find me someone who is Christian, and not crazy, who thinks God doesn’t listen to the prayers of sinners. Because that just means God doesn’t listen to prayers at all.
So hating on LGBT *and* Catholics? A real banner day for him.
Well that’s one way to cost yourself millions of dollars.
And to get off this Bulls roster. Somebody will give him a chance, I feel. Young and talented enough. Seattle, Vagas.
Yo, Jaden, get off social media, hey. Catholicism is quite big in Europe too, is it not?
Lmao You know the Seattle community embraces the opposite of his beliefs right? He already killed his chance on a team not even back.
No and so. He’ll get another gig in the league one day. I don’t care about anybody else’s beliefs, lifestyle, political views and prosperity. Got nothing to do with me. Whatever makes them happy, cool, whatevs. Just words at the end of the day, you don’t have to take them in. Guys have done far worse and been given another chance.
Business care is the point.
People thought Meyers Leonard and Josh Primo would get more chances. Leagues are not putting their necks out for below average players.
Meyers Leonard was out of the league for two years He also had to APOLOGIZE and put in work with the Jewish community and show authentic remorse for his actions.
Fat chance of Ivey doing any of that. These guys double down and never admit when they’re wrong. Anyone who disagrees with me is a “sinner” LOL.
Should have thought about all this when an NBA career was his dream growing up. The irony of crying about the NBA’s views however many millions of dollars later. Just another selfish “saint”.
Yes they have. But the juice needs to be worth the squeeze.
Miles Bridges and Kevin Porter Jr suffered significant financial penalty and missed entire seasons because of their actions. Both are also starting level players.
Ivey is not at their level and is closer to an injury prone project / developmental guy. When you’re replacement level, you’ll find out how replaceable you really are when you act out.
What did Miles Bridges do again? Just saying.
This is why politics and religion don’t mix with sport in my opinion.
Better players get exemptions this has always been known.