Jaden Ivey Will Collect Full $10.1MM After Bulls Waive Guard
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Guard Jaden Ivey will receive the entire $10.1 million he is owed for the 2025/26 season after the Chicago Bulls waived him on Monday, according to The Athletic. The salary had been fully guaranteed since Detroit picked up his fourth-year rookie-scale option in fall 2024, and the Bulls opted not to pursue any financial offsets despite citing “conduct detrimental to the team.”
Head coach Billy Donovan addressed the move in broad terms, stressing professionalism and accountability. “There’s got to be a high level of respect for one another,” Donovan told reporters. “We’ve got to help each other and then be accountable to those standards.”
Team sources linked the decision largely to multiple Instagram Live sessions in which Ivey made inflammatory comments about religion and the LGBTQ community. Hours after being released, he again streamed on social media, calling the organization “liars” and denying that his behavior hurt the team. “All I’m preaching about is Jesus Christ and they waived me,” he said.
Background on the Trade and Locker-Room Reaction
Chicago acquired Ivey last month, a move now drawing sharp criticism of executive Artūras Karnišovas. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that players were unmoved by his departure, noting that earlier warnings about Ivey’s outspoken preaching had not fully captured the extent of his behavior. According to the paper, post-practice media sessions often turned into sermons in which Ivey asked reporters whether they had been “saved” or had “fornicated before marriage.”
The Chicago Tribune similarly labeled the trade an unnecessary gamble, writing that while religious discussions are common in NBA locker rooms, Ivey repeatedly redirected routine questions toward his faith and refused to provide standard basketball answers.
Further Social-Media Comments
Ivey returned to Instagram Live on Tuesday, saying relatives had accused him of “losing my mind” because of his comments. “These are my own family members who raised me saying that I don’t know the truth,” he said. “All because I said the truth.”
With Chicago choosing not to contest his contract, the 22-year-old remains an unrestricted free agent while collecting his full guarantee for 2025/26.
Source: Hoops Rumors
