Just two days before this year’s NBA trade deadline, former NFL player and Detroit native Javin Hunter was out west for Super Bowl LX media week. That Tuesday afternoon, his son Jaden Ivey called him.
Tied up and heading to an appointment, Hunter told Ivey he’d call him back. Just two minutes later, an ESPN alert popped up on Hunter’s phone: the [Detroit Pistons had traded Ivey to the Chicago Bulls](https://www.mlive.com/pistons/2026/02/pistons-trade-jaden-ivey-to-the-bulls-as-part-of-three-team-deal.html) in a multi-team deal that also involved the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Hunter, who has strong ties to Detroit, hoped Ivey would succeed there. But Ivey was still coming back from a serious leg injury, which made the timing of the trade even tougher.
Proud and emotional about the Pistons trading Ivey to Chicago best describes Hunter’s reaction. While his Detroit connection brought on mixed feelings, he pointed out that timing and context mattered just as much.
“I loved Jaden being in Detroit, and I really know he wouldn’t be making this transition to the Bulls had he not gotten injured,” Hunter told MLive. “But when you take the emotions out of it, and you take a step back, you can honestly and easily assess that it was a difficult situation that they were ultimately able to turn around. He was a part of that. He was a part of the turnaround.
“Two (general managers), three head coaches in three years. Detroit is a working (United Auto Workers) town, so I know they understand how difficult it is to adjust to new systems, management, and coworkers...and to jump back in when the line or the team is already rolling.”
After Ivey suffered a broken left fibula on Jan. 1, 2025, he required a lengthy rehab to get back out on the court and an additional arthroscopic procedure forced him to miss the first month of the 2025-26 season.
Before the injury, Ivey was truly coming into his own in his first season under coach J.B. Bickerstaff, averaging 17.6 points and four assists per game on 41% shooting from three-point range.
But upon his return to the court, the production never quite matched the same levels. Part of that was certainly due to Ivey no longer being an every-night starter.
He was playing 30 minutes per game in 2024, but with a surging first-place Pistons team, Ivey was coming off the bench and getting under 17 minutes per appearance.
It was a very different role being asked of Ivey, one that Hunter believes he was doing well, despite the circumstances.
“He was taking it head on and just trying to do whatever was best for the team,” Hunter said. “I know I felt that maybe they were trying to let him get his feet up under him and let him get back healthy and kind of unleash him towards the latter half of the season. You had other guys that were able to step up, which was great, and they were able to win with those other guys as well.”
Bickerstaff said last week that part of the team’s [reasoning for the trade was to give Ivey a fresh start](https://www.mlive.com/pistons/2026/02/pistons-needed-to-make-a-business-decision-with-jaden-ivey-trade-coach-says.html) and potentially the chance at an expanded role with a Bulls team that overhauled its roster at the trade deadline.
The Pistons’ second-year coach expressed gratitude for his time getting to work with Ivey, a sentiment that Hunter believes is shared between player and coach.
“They had a great relationship. I know that he loved J.B., the way he coached, all the guys respected him, gave him an opportunity to thrive,” Hunter said. ”I think when you look at that third year before he got hurt, I mean, he was thriving."
Ivey showed glimpses of his old self this season, showcasing his athleticism and putting up highlight performances like scoring 16 points off 60% shooting in Detroit’s lopsided win over the New York Knicks in January.
It looked like the former fifth overall pick might finally get a full season to work alongside All-Star guard Cade Cunningham for a full year, but that never came to fruition.
In his final 33 games with the Pistons, Ivey averaged 8.2 points and 1.6 assists, numbers on 45% shooting from the field. Hunter says putting those numbers into some context is important when viewing Ivey’s tenure in the NBA so far.
“I believe Jaden did very well under the circumstances and worked his butt off for the city of Detroit and the Pistons,” Hunter said. “With that being said, Jaden’s stats are comparable to a lot of top draft picks. I would challenge some of the fans, and my good friends at 97.1 The Ticket — you know I pay attention to everything — to go look at guys like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, (Tyrese) Haliburton, and a lot of the 2023 draft picks and their stats in their first three years before saying anything negative.”
Despite an early end to Ivey’s time with the Pistons, Hunter knows that Detroit will have a special place in his heart. Ivey’s three kids were born in the city and the family is wishing the Pistons the best in the future, knowing “we’ll see them in a game soon.”
Ivey’s name is still part of last season’s historic turnaround that saw the Pistons triple their win total and reach the playoffs for the first time in six years.
“I’m just happy that he was a part of that turnaround for the Pistons. And I think overall, that’s what I would like for him to be remembered for in Detroit is that he can help start this new turnaround,” Hunter said. “It’s unfortunate he’s not be able to see the fruits of that, but I definitely value the experience. I think he’s going to value the experience in Detroit moving forward.”