If there was one word to summarize the Jaden Ivey era for the Detroit Pistons, it would be “frustrating.”
But that era is now over, as Ivey was traded to the Chicago Bulls in a multi-team deal that netted the Pistons Kevin Huerter, Dario Saric and the right to swap picks with the Timberwolves in the 2026 Draft.
Just in: Chicago, Minnesota and Detroit have agreed to a multi-team deal that sends Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley Jr. to the Bulls and Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric to the Pistons, sources tell ESPN. Detroit also receives a 2026 first-round protected swap from Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/pgxqr1WT90
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2026
The pick swap would currently move the Pistons up six spots, so it’s not nothing, but the rest of the trade package is disappointing, as Huerter is shooting just 31 percent from 3-point range this season and Dario Saric isn’t ever likely to wear a Pistons uniform.
Huerter is a 37 percent 3-point shooter for his career, so you have to hope he gets back to form, and he’s a plug-and-play shooter on the wing who should be a bigger threat on the Pistons.
I’m trying to talk myself into this here, and do think there could end up being more to it, especially if the Timberwolves end up trading for Giannis (more on that later), but if this is the trade, it’s hard not to feel disappointed for how the Jaden Ivey era turned out.
Jaden Ivey had little trade value for the Pistons
I’ve said many times that I had a hard time believing that any team was going to be excited about making Jaden Ivey their big haul for a star player. Not only has he been “meh” this season and not looked to have the same burst, but he’s a restricted free agent at the end of it, so whoever signs him will have to take a risk that he’ll eventually get back to where he was before his injury.
And he very well might, as the broken leg Ivey suffered was a bigger setback than people think and it’s been clear all season that he has not been the same guy.
The frustrating part is that we barely got to see that guy. There were flashes while the Pistons were terrible, then the infuriating mismanagement from Monty Williams that led straight into multiple injuries.
Because of all that, we never got to see the real Ivey, as he got hurt just as he started playing well. The Pistons no longer had time to wait for him to get right, so it makes sense for them to move him, especially if they had no interest in paying him in the offseason.
It will be interesting to see what Ivey gets on his next deal, as some team is going to have to take a risk unless he starts to flourish over the rest of the season for Chicago, which he might.
We have not seen the best of Jaden Ivey yet, but we’re not going to see it in Detroit, which is a disappointing conclusion. Good luck to Jaden Ivey and thank you for your service.