Controversy Erupts: Bulls Waive Jaden Ivey Following Anti-Gay Comments
The Chicago Bulls have waived guard Jaden Ivey for conduct detrimental to the team, following his social media rants about religion and the NBA's Pride Month celebration. Ivey, recently acquired from the Pistons, played only four games before a season-ending knee injury.
The Chicago Bulls have officially announced the waiving of guard Jaden Ivey, citing conduct deemed detrimental to the team.
This significant decision was made on Monday, following a period where Ivey had been posting various controversial videos on his social media platforms.
In recent weeks, Ivey, who is 24 years old, shared a series of rants covering topics such as religion.
A particularly contentious video posted on Monday morning specifically called out the National Basketball Association for its celebration of Pride Month, asserting that the league was endorsing "unrighteousness."
Ivey has previously disclosed his personal struggles with depression.
The Bulls had only recently acquired Ivey through a trade with the Detroit Pistons last month.
His time on the court for Chicago was notably brief; he participated in just four games before a left knee injury forced him to be shut down for the remainder of the season.
His professional career began when he was drafted as the No. 5 pick in 2022,playing an early role for the rebuilding Detroit Pistons.
However, his performance was increasingly hampered by persistent knee issues, which limited him to only 30 games in the 2024-25 season and subsequently kept him out of several games in the current season.
Furthermore, Ivey did not reach an agreement on a contract extension with Detroit during the previous summer, which meant he was slated to enter this upcoming offseason as a free agent.