As part of the flurry of NBA trade deadline moves yesterday, the Chicago Bulls acquired dynamic combo guard Jaden Ivey as part of a three-team trade. Along with Ivey, Chicago also picked up veteran point guard Mike Conley from the Minnesota Timberwolves. In exchange for Ivey, the Detroit Pistons are receiving wing Kevin Huerter and center/forward Dario Saric from the Bulls.
As for the third wheel of the trade, the Timberwolves are trading Conley, which will free up $20 million in luxury tax savings for their pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, or at the very least, some help for their very thin bench. They are also executing a 2026 first-round draft swap with the Pistons to complete the deal.
Reasons for the Ivey, Three-Team Deal
With Ivey, the Bulls get a talented combo guard whose career has been sidetracked due to injuries. The Pistons selected him with the fifth overall pick, and they are very excited about pairing him with All-Star Cade Cunningham in a dream backcourt. And for the first two and a half seasons of his career, he more than lived up to those expectations.
When he went down with a broken fibula on January 1, 2025, he was averaging 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and four assists playing 30 minutes a game. His return this season was delayed by an arthroscopic knee procedure in October, and he made his season debut on November 22.
All of his numbers dropped considerably as he is now averaging 8.2 points and 1.6 assists while playing only 17 minutes per game. In that time, Ivey has only started two games as the Pistons developed a playoff-savvy backcourt in his absence.
Mike Conley is nearing the end of a brilliant NBA career. He was a huge contributor to the Wolves’ past two long playoff runs, but his skill set has severely fallen off over the past two seasons. Age has caught up to him, and he can no longer be counted on for quality minutes.
Huerter is on an expiring contract and is shooting a career low 31 percent from beyond the arc. The Pistons hope a change of scenery will improve his performance. Saric, who was acquired by the Bulls just two days earlier, has not played since December 20.
Evaluating the Three-Team Deal
The Bulls hope Ivey regains the form he demonstrated at the start of his career. He joins a crowded Bulls backcourt that includes Josh Giddey, Coby White, Tre Jones, and Ayo Dosunmu. But White and Dosunmu are on expiring contracts, possibly making a reinvigorated Ivey even more valuable in future seasons. Conley is likely a buyout candidate for Chicago.
For the Pistons, if his shooting improves, Huerter may be able to take some of the scoring load off of Cunningham’s shoulders. Saric, with his injuries and limited playing time, might never see the court in Detroit. The real value in acquiring both players lies in their expiring contracts, which will free up valuable salary space. As mentioned, the Timberwolves intend to use the disposal of Conley’s contract to pursue the Unicorn or other players to aid their championship run.
