JB Bickerstaff admits Jaden Ivey trade ‘difficult’

The Detroit Pistons made his own lone move at the NBA trade deadlinesending archers Poor Ivey to the Chicago Bulls in a three-team deal. In exchange for Ivey, the Pistons received a guard Kevin Huerterforward Dario Saric, and a protected first-round pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2026.

The trade was announced on Tuesday, but was officially confirmed by the team on Wednesday. Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff opened his time with Ivy and the difficult process of getting out of Detroit.

“It’s always tough. It’s a tough time of year for everyone involved. You build relationships with people, you care about people, and then you have to make tough business decisions. As great as this league is, it comes with some emotional stuff that’s just not always fun, but you have to deal with it,” Bickerstaff explained. “JI (Jaden Ivey) was great for the year and a half we were together. He wanted to do everything he could to help his team win. (He went through) a lot of tough situations. The way he played to start the year last year and then come back and have to play a different role, a lot of guys wouldn’t be able to handle that. The team and try to help the team be as successful as possible while he was here.”

Jaden Ivey is on the mend

The 2025-26 season was Ivy’s first action back after suffering a season-ending leg injury against the Orlando Magic. He also opted for surgery during the preseason to help with his knee problem.

Ivey started 30 games last season and averaged a career-high 17.6 points per game on 46% shooting from the field and 41% from 3-point range. He played about 30 minutes per game during his breakout season.

Ivey returned as a rotational player off the bench in a minor role. Production dropped significantly as he averaged 8.2 points per game in 16.8 minutes. The injuries seemed to have a big impact on his game, as his much-noticed burst and speed were diminished on the field. The franchise decided to offer him a fresh start with a trade in Chicago.

The fourth-year guard was the No. 5 pick out of Purdue in 2022 by the Pistons. He was drafted in the same class as All-Star center Jalen Duren. The hope was to build a viable backcourt with him and All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham. There were impressions that the pairing was working successfully, but injuries and changing rotations limited the backcourt duo’s ability to operate.

Ivey shared the overwhelming emotion during the NBA draft at the opportunity to play for the Pistons. He has intriguing family ties to the city of Detroit that inspired his desire to be in Detroit. His father, Javin Hunter, played basketball at Detroit’s Country Day High School. His mother, Niel Ivey, played for the Detroit Shock in 2005. His grandfather, James Hunter, was also a decorated cornerback for the Detroit Lions from 1976-1982.