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The Bulls are waiving guard Jaden Ivey a little more than a month after acquiring his services via trade, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
A former top pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Ivey was once considered one of basketball's best prospects. Chicago hoped to resurrect the 24-year-old's career after some challenging seasons with the Pistons.
However, Ivey's spot on the team proved precarious after he made anti-LGBTQ comments on social media on Monday. The comments were the latest in a string of events that involved the Purdue alum.
Here's the latest on Ivey's release.
What did Jaden Ivey say?
Picked by the Pistons No. 5 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Ivey was expected to make waves as a part of a budding Detroit backcourt that also featured All-NBA guard Cade Cunningham.
Injuries prevented Ivey from reaching his full potential in the Motor City. Chicago took a punt on the 24-year-old guard at the trade deadline, acquiring him in a deal that sent Kevin Huerter to Detroit.
However, Ivey played just four games before his knee gave out, prompting the Bulls to shut him down for the foreseeable future.
While Ivey's on-court presence was limited, he began to garner headlines for all the wrong reasons off-the-floor. On Feb. 19, Ivey was DNP'd. He gave an impromptu postgame sermon in the locker room, telling reporters that the old him was dead.
"No matter what or how many DNPs I don't get to play, no matter how many points I score, those things are a temporary thing," Ivey said. "Jesus is eternal. ... He can free you from all sins."
Ivey soon took his homilies to social media, drawing Chicago's front office's rancor after releasing an anti-LGBTQ tirade on Instagram Live.
Why did Bulls release Jaden Ivey?
Charania reported that Ivey's release was the direct result of anti-LGBTQ comments he made on social media while discussing religion and other topics.
The Chicago Bulls are waiving guard Jaden Ivey after his recent anti-LGBTQ comments amid several rants on religion and other topics, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/7dbsoUhAvE
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 30, 2026The Chicago Sun-Times' Joe Crowley previously reported that Chicago was working on an "exit" strategy from Ivey after videos of Ivey's comments swept across social media.
The Bulls announced that Ivey's dismissal was the result of "conduct detrimental to the team."
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 30, 2026Head coach Billy Donovan had his say on Ivey's release, telling reporters that Ivey failed to adhere to Chicago's standards with his recent social media posts.
Billy Donovan explains the Bulls cutting Jaden Ivey after the guard posted a homophobic video today.
“Organizationally, there’s certain standards I think we want to have as an organization and live up to those each and every day.” pic.twitter.com/uodtclRUe2
The Athletic reported Tuesday that Ivey will still be receiving his full $10.1 million salary this NBA season despite being waived by the Bulls.
Jaden Ivey social media posts
Ivey posted a series of videos on social media in recent weeks. One of his latest offerings involved an anti-LGBTQ rant. Ivey called out the NBA for celebrating Pride Month, claiming it was akin to celebrating "unrighteousness."
For anyone that missed Jaden Ivey's comments:pic.twitter.com/oY0nom6TTU
— Undaunted (@NvictusManeo) March 30, 2026"They proclaim Pride Month in the NBA," Ivey said. "They say, 'Come, join us for Pride Month.' To celebrate unrighteousness."
When news of his release broke, Ivey took to Instagram once more. Speaking to his social media followers, Ivey blasted the Bulls and the NBA. He also took shots at Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Michael Jordan, alleging they "don't know Jesus Christ."
"They said 'Your conduct is detrimental to the team," Ivey said. "I haven't been with the team. I haven't been with the team because I've been rehabbing. So, how is my conduct detrimental to the team? Where have I done detriment? Did I say 'You suck' to the players? That would be detrimental to the team, right?"
"All I'm preaching is about Jesus Christ and they waived me. They say I'm crazy, I'm psycho…God let these things happen for a reason.
Jaden Ivey on IG Live: "All I'm preaching is about Jesus Christ and they waived me. They say I'm crazy, I'm psycho…God let these things happen for a reason…When I came into the league all I wanted to do was win championships, get millions of bucks, get that next contract, get… pic.twitter.com/WU7Fas23SC
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 31, 2026"When I came into the league all I wanted to do was win championships, get millions of bucks, get that next contract, get all them cars, that's all I wanted until the Lord showed me. What good is it to gain the world & forfeit your soul? What good is it to not follow the Lord, obey his commandments?"
Ivey explained that he was wracked with addiction prior to "knowing Jesus."
Jaden Ivey with a concerning message on his IG live:
“The NBA was everything to me. I didn’t know god. When I came to the NBA I was a fornicator, I was a p*rn addict and I use to get drunk. That’s all I knew. After all those points I felt good… I felt like everything was set… pic.twitter.com/mcFqI9qlMj
On Tuesday, Ivey was speaking on Instagram Live once again, saying that his wife hasn't texted him back and that his family was calling him "psycho" and "crazy."
"Those who are around me, those who are my family members betraying (me) because of what I spoke. The truth. Betraying me. Saying that I’m losing my mind. Saying that I’m crazy. Saying that I don’t know the truth,” Ivey said, per Joel Lorenzi. “These are my own family members who love me. My blood. Those who raised me saying that I don’t know the truth. ‘Man, he’s psycho.’ He’s this, he’s that. Those are my own household. All because of the gospel. All because I said the truth.”
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 31, 2026Ivey's comments drew the ire of many. However, some observers offered support for his words, including Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:10 https://t.co/CTpkaMx0oT
Pray for Jaden Ivey
— Evan Turner (@thekidet) March 31, 2026Jaden Ivey has to understand freedom of speech does not mean freedom of consequence.
Also, you serve God. You’re not God.
As the son of a pastor this topic means a lot to me and I’m praying for Jaden Ivey’s mental health.
My full thoughts: pic.twitter.com/CHiUo4aAor
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel later addressed Henderson's response, saying he wants players "to be able to express what they believe … but, I also wanna make sure that they’re educated."
#Patriots HC Mike Vrabel on TreVeyon Henderson’s controversial post:
“I love TreVeyon… He cares deeply about his faith… I want them to be able to express what they believe… But, I also wanna make sure that they’re educated. We want to be inclusive.”
Ivey's former Bulls teammate, Josh Giddey, called the situation "unfortunate" and that he hopes Ivey "gets the help he needs."
‘‘He’s a very talented player,’’ Giddey said, per the Chicago Sun-Times. ‘‘Obviously, the whole thing is kind of unfortunate in a way. I hope he gets the help he needs, whatever he’s going through or not going through. I do really hope he gets help. It’s not going to be with the Bulls anymore, but wherever it is, I hope he gets it.’’
What did Jaden Ivey say about Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Michael Jordan?
Ivey named names when delivering his Instagram address, calling out Curry, James and Jordan for their apparent lack of religious zeal.
"It's not gonna do no good doing your will and trying to win championships and you're not doing the will of God. That's why many don't know the real Jesus. That's why you got Steph Curry and he's not even surrender and y'all believe he's a Christian. Y'all believe he's a Christian because he wrote Phillippians 4:13. Y'all think he's a Christian. But he's cursed him just like the world. He don't know Jesus, and I pray he comes to the truth, that him and his family be saved in Jesus name.
"All them rings he got…all them rings LeBron got, Michael Jordan got, all them people in the Hall of Fame who don't know Jesus Christ, it's not gonna matter on Judgment Day and your name is not written in the Book of Life."
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff on Jaden Ivey
On Tuesday, Ivey's former Pistons coach, J.B. Bickerstaff, commented on the guard's exit from the Bulls.
"I don't think we can overlook the human aspect of all these things and how that impacts people and their decisions," Bickerstaff said, per Vincent Goodwill. "I also believe the NBA is one of the most inclusive environments in pro sports, and it's a genuine thing that celebrates different ethnicities, heritages, sexual preferences, whatever it may be, like, the NBA brings people together."
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff on Jaden Ivey, who was released by the Bulls yesterday pic.twitter.com/R7LoNnmF3f
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) March 31, 2026Jaden Ivey injury history
Ivey has dealt with recurring lower-body trouble over the years. He was one of basketball's most explosive guards when he entered the league and was on pace for a career-best season before suffering a broken left fibula in a Jan. 2025 matchup against the Magic.
Ivey underwent season-ending surgery to repair the fracture. He returned to the court in the subsequent preseason but was sidelined again after suffering an injury to his right knee. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to relieve his discomfort, missing Detroit's first 15 games of the season.
Ivey's explosiveness appeared to diminish following his injury. Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said as much after Chicago ruled Ivey out for at least two weeks with soreness in his left knee.
"Certainly, when he came here and, you know, he started getting more minutes -- in the first few games his minutes were in the 30s -- you could just see he wasn't like stopping, starting," Donovan said, per ESPN. "He didn't have that explosiveness that you saw when you watched him play."
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