Jan 15, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) looks on in the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Bulls already facing crucial Jaden Ivey decision after trade

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Evan Massey | Last updated Feb 8, 2026 2:51 AM ET

The Chicago Bulls made a flurry of trades ahead of the NBA deadline this season. None of those moves were more interesting than the team bringing in former Detroit Pistons point guard Jaden Ivey.

Just a few short years ago in the 2022 NBA Draft, the Pistons made Ivey the No. 5 overall pick. After a stellar college career with the Purdue Boilermakers, Ivey was expected to be a rising star for Detroit. Unfortunately, his career has not panned out quite as expected.

Despite the slow start to his career, Ivey is just 23 years old with plenty of time to turn things around. Perhaps being traded to the Bulls could give him that ability.

With that being said, Chicago is already facing a serious decision regarding Ivey. He is set to become a restricted free agent this offseason. Do the Bulls believe in him enough to warrant a long-term extension already after just acquiring him?

Chicago Bulls Facing Serious Decision About Jaden Ivey

In his debut performance with the team against the Toronto Raptors, Ivey played in 33 minutes and scored 13 points on 5-for-12 shooting to go along with six assists, four rebounds, and three steals. Against the Denver Nuggets in his second game with the Bulls, he scored 10 points, grabbed six rebounds, recorded three assists, and chipped in two steals as well.

Last season with Detroit, Ivey played in 30 games and made 30 starts before going down with an injury. He averged 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and four assists per game, while shooting 46 percent from the floor and 40.9 percent from three-point range.

Ivey has shown flashes of being a really good player. However, he has been unable to figure out the consistency side of the game just yet. If he can become a more consistent player, he could be a part of the long-term future for Chicago.

Making a trade to acquire him is a good sign that the Bulls plan to keep him around. It doesn’t mean that they won’t consider parting ways if things don’t work out throughout the rest of this season, but it seems likely that Chicago will try to re-sign him.

Expect to hear more speculation about the Bulls and Ivey as the season moves forward. For now, he’ll focus on trying to earn his spot for the future.

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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