The Chicago Bulls are at it again, making another trade! According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Chicago has worked with the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves in a three-team deal.
Trade alert: Bulls land Ivey and Conley Jr.
The trade sends Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley Jr. to Chicago, while Kevin Huerter, Dario Šarić, and a 2026 protected first-round pick swap via Minnesota go to Detroit. Minnesota, meanwhile, gains salary cap relief and appears to be positioning for a bigger move down the line (hello, Giannis Antetokounmpo).
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
From the outset, this is a savvy, buy-low move for the Bulls—and this time, they aren’t just playing facilitator. Chicago did help out their Central Division rival Detroit, but the trade is mutually beneficial. The Bulls add Ivey, a young guard in need of a change of scenery, while Detroit welcomes Huerter, whose long-range shooting will be a welcome addition in Motor City.
Bulls' lead decision-maker Artūras Karnišovas has made it known he wants to acquire young players with NBA experience, and Ivey fits the bill. The 6-foot-3 guard is only 23 (though he turns 24 in a little over a week) and was a former top-five draft pick in 2022.
After starting his career on a high note, averaging 16.3 points and 5.2 assists and earning All-Rookie Second Team honors, Ivey has settled into a reserve role in his fourth season. The former Piston appeared on a potential All-Star trajectory last year, posting a career-high 17.6 points per game while shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from three. His 2024-25 campaign, however, was cut short after just 30 games due to a fractured fibula.
Ivey began this season on the shelf, missing the first 15 games while recovering from offseason knee surgery. Since returning, he has played in every contest for Detroit, but is averaging just 8.2 points and 1.6 assists in 16.8 minutes per game.
Ivey acquisition makes White the odd man out
Now in Chicago, Ivey gets a fresh start. But his arrival raises bigger questions: what does this mean for fellow combo guards Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White?
For starters, Ivey is in the final season of his four-year rookie contract. However, he will be a restricted free agent this offseason, meaning Chicago controls his future: they can either re-sign him to a long-term deal or extend a one-year qualifying offer. How he performs over the final 30 games of the season will play a major role in that decision.
Moreover, with Dosunmu and White both on expiring contracts, this acquisition all but guarantees that one of the two guards will be gone, either in the coming days or this offseason.
With recent reports suggesting the Bulls prefer Dosunmu due to his versatility and likely cheaper next contract, acquiring Ivey makes White the guard most likely to be moved. In the meantime, Chicago will continue gauging the market for White, with Minnesota and the Houston Rockets among the primary suitors. However, with so many trades happening across the NBA, White’s eventual destination could realistically be anywhere.