The Detroit Pistons traded Ivey on Tuesday, Feb. 3, to the Chicago Bulls, receiving Kevin Huerter, Dario Saric and a 2026 first-round pick swap from the Minnesota Timberwolves in return.
Ivey's playing time and numbers dipped significantly this season after returning from a fibula injury and then arthroscopic right knee surgery, averaging 8.2 points and 1.6 assists in 16.8 minutes per game, including two starts in 33 appearances.
He was in the midst of the best season of his career in 2024-25 before suffering a broken left fibula on New Year's Day 2025. He was averaging 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and four assists in roughly 30 minutes per game.
Here's what the Pistons said Thursday when asked about the trade.
J.B. Bickerstaff
On the decision to trade Ivey:It’s always tough. This is a tough time of year for everybody involved. You build relationships with people, you care about people and tough business decisions have to be made. And that’s why as great as this league is it comes with some emotional things that just aren’t always fun. But you have to deal with it. JI was awesome, the two years, year and a half we were together, as a person allowing me to coach him, as a teammate wanting to do whatever he could do to help this team win. Going through a lot of difficult situations. The way that he was playing to start the year last year and then coming back and having to play a different role, a lot of guys wouldn’t have been able to handle that. I’m extremely appreciative of the way that he handled it, the way he continued to buy into the team and try to help the team be as successful as he could while he was here."
On if there was a specific moment that led to the decision to trade Ivey: "No, there wasn’t just a moment and I don’t think it was a thing that didn’t work or couldn’t work. I just feel like it’s a great opportunity for him to go to a new place, get a fresh start and get an opportunity to explore where his game can go in possibly a different role. Obviously I don’t know how they’re going to use him over there or what they're going to do with him there. But again I’m just happy to have spent the time with him, and I don’t think this is a situation where the word is it 'didn’t work.' I just feel like a business decision had to be made and it gave JI an opportunity to get a fresh start, and hopefully it works out well for both of us."
Ausar Thompson
On the emotional aspect of Ivey being traded: "JI, that's my brother for life. We were locker mates since I got on this team, we always sat next to each other. To lose him hurts, but you know that's how it works. I know, wherever, like I texted him, wherever JI goes, greatness follows. JI is great, is going to be great. No worries for him. Love that guy."
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Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky and/or X @omarisankofa.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: What Pistons said about Jaden Ivey trade to Bulls