Despite the Chicago Bulls' current struggles, they recently made a smart decision that even their dissatisfied fans will agree with. The Bulls acquired former fifth overall pick Jaden Ivey at the trade deadline, but he was limited to just 4 games before being shut down for the season with a knee injury.
His waning athleticism caused his on-court play to spiral, and his recent conduct off the court has been even more concerning. He has been active on Instagram live and has made several troubling comments that ultimately led to Chicago waiving him on March 30th.
Although they have to absorb $10 million in guaranteed salary, it's clear that they made the correct decision. The Bulls can do bad on their own and don't need a struggling former lottery pick to drag them down even further.
The Chicago Bulls were right to move on from Jaden Ivey
Chicago has already been eliminated from the playoffs and has little left to play for. They wanted to see Ivey in the second half of the season, but his season-ending injury stopped that.
Now, they won't get the chance next season with him off the team. Nevertheless, the situation could potentially benefit everyone involved.
The Bulls are slowly building through the draft, and having Ivey pan out as a reclamation project would have helped their rebuild. However, he clearly has things going on in his personal life that he needs to address first.
Ivey will remain unsigned until the summer, and even then, he may not receive another chance in the NBA.
Jaden Ivey may not get another chance in the NBA
It's one thing for him to say what he said and be a top young prospect with all the potential in the world.
It's another to have played poorly, get traded, and quickly wear out your welcome on a team that is in desperate need of more talent. Teams are becoming more cautious unless players possess the talent to justify the risk.
Ivey has the talent, but he hasn't been the same explosive player since breaking his fibula. He also hasn't apologized for the comments that led to him being waived. That isn't doing him any favors either.
If he's smart, he'll apologize—and actually mean it—and lie low while he rehabs his knee. A team might take a flyer on him in the summer if he did that. Otherwise, the Bulls may be the last team Ivey plays for in the NBA.