Making Sense Of Why Jaden Ivey Was Waived By Bulls

To be fair, Ivey is seemingly trying to proselytize in good faith. Nonetheless, he’s giving off a manic energy that makes even his more benign comments read as malignant. So much so that it’s unclear whether he’s going through a mental health episode rather than just a religious revival.

All the same, there are some fans that believe Ivey’s being targeted for being a Christian. Yet, those comments don’t hold up under the light. For starters, though the United States of America doesn’t have an official religion, its citizens are predominately Christian.

Aside from that, there are active NBA personnel that are well-known Christians. Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla is a proud and vocal Catholic, which is a Christian denomination. Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac has long been known as a conservative Christian. San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet, whose widely publicized pushback against an Atlanta-based cultural celebration that he deemed too inappropriate prompted the NBA to shut down those plans, is a conservative Catholic.

It’s unfortunate how Ivey’s situation spiraled, but he wasn’t targeted because of religion.

CHI’s Newfound Silver Lining

There’s a silver lining in this situation.

Though Ivey’s contract after 2025-26, Chicago might have opted to re-sign him. Despite his underwhelming performance this season and concerns about his physical health, he’s a 24-year-old former lottery pick that averaged a career-high 17.6 points per game last season. If he looks like even 80 percent of the player he was with the Detroit Pistons, he’s a keeper. If they could get him on a bargain contract, that’s even better.

Now, the Bulls are sure that his money will come off their books. That should make it easier for them to bring back Anfernee Simons or Collin Sexton, who’ll become free agents this summer. Of course, the guard trio of Josh Giddey, Tre Jones and Rob Dillingham will be under contract in 2026-27. Nevertheless, a good case can be made that both Simons and Sexton are more dynamic than Jones. They’re certainly sharper than Dillingham.

Ultimately, Chicago’s path will largely be determined by whether they want to contend or continue to rebuild. All the same, Ivey’s antics make it that much easier for them to navigate through the offseason.