The Detroit Pistons have sent Jaden Ivey to the Chicago Bulls in a multi-team deal that includes the Minnesota Timberwolves, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. Here is the deal in full:
Bulls receive: Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley
Pistons receive: Kevin Huerter, Dario Saric, 2026 first-round protected swap (via MIN)
Timberwolves receive: Nothing (their motivation was financial)
Blazers need to be targeting high-upside players like Jaden Ivey
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This is exactly the type of deal that an up-and-coming Portland Trail Blazers team should've gotten involved in. Jaden Ivey is just 23 years old and a former No. 5 overall pick, suggesting there's plenty of untapped potential. Meanwhile, the two most significant question marks surrounding Portland's rebuild are [their backcourt](https://ripcityproject.com/uncomfortable-scoot-henderson-question-quietly-taking-shape-portland) and star power.
Ivey may not be the perfect fit with Shaedon Sharpe already in the picture, but the Blazers want to have as many of these high-upside players as possible to increase the odds that one of them turns into a star.
He's also shown signs of improving from beyond the arc, connecting on 40.9% of his attempts last season and 37.2% so far this year. That development means Ivey is a better fit for this Blazers roster than some would expect, even with Sharpe ahead of him on the depth chart.
Even before this trade, Ivey was [already the odd man out](https://pistonpowered.com/clock-is-ticking-jaden-ivey-daniss-jenkins-detroit-pistons) in Detroit. The Pistons quickly ascended, leaving Ivey no time to catch up. His role decreased as a result, starting in just two contests this season with a career low of 16.8 minutes per game.
His combination of a diminished role and an expiring contract meant Ivey's trade value was as low as ever, which is why Chicago was able to come away with a talented young guard without sacrificing any draft capital.
The next contract was likely a concern for Portland's front office. Whether it's Deni Avdija or, more recently, Vít Krejčí, they tend to target players on team-friendly contracts that extend beyond a single season. But the Blazers could've easily addressed that problem by trading one of Jerami Grant or Jrue Holiday in the next two days. Ivey's next contract still wouldn't be close to what those guys are making, and most significantly, he actually fits Portland's rebuilding timeline.
General manager Joe Cronin deserves the benefit of the doubt. Krejčí was a savvy pickup, and they appear to be involved in more trade talks. So we'll have to see how this all plays out before we can fully evaluate how big a mistake it was to pass on Ivey.
Still, this is the exact type of trade Portland should be seeking in the next few days: the opportunity to add to their young core for cheap.