02/20/2026, 9:46 PM

Removed from rotation Thursday

After being acquired from the Pistons on Feb. 3, Ivey had started in three of the Bulls' final four contests before the All-Star break and averaged 29.0 minutes per contest. He was expected to see his playing time get squeezed to some degree coming out of the break with the Bulls bringing back guards Josh Giddey (hamstring) and Tre Jones (hamstring) from multi-game absences, but Ivey's removal from the rotation entirely was surprising. A pending restricted free agent this summer, Ivey could still get a longer evaluation at some point as the Bulls look to determine whether he's part of their future plans, but it may take the team being without another guard before he gets his next opportunity. Per K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network, head coach Billy Donovan said Friday that he supported acting head coach Wes Unseld Jr.'s decision not to play Ivey on Thursday, with Donovan noting that the 24-year-old "has not moved and played as he did in the past" coming off surgery last January to repair a broken fibula in in his left leg and another procedure in October to relieve discomfort in his right knee. Ivey's tepid production upon making his season debut in late November was likely a factor in the Pistons' willingness to move him ahead of the trade deadline.

02/20/2026, 4:14 PM

Fares well in loss

Jones returned from an 11-game absence due to a strained left hamstring, and he was given a sizable role with the second unit. Notably, Jaden Ivey was pushed completely out of the rotation with Josh Giddey also back in the mix. With so much competition in the backcourt, Jones' value may be limited to deeper leagues.

02/20/2026, 4:12 PM

Sees 21 minutes in return

Giddey returned to action after missing Chicago's previous eight matchups while nursing a hamstring injury. He saw a modest workload, which is to be expected, and it's fair to expect the Bulls to proceed with caution moving forward. Plus, the Bulls begin a back-to-back set Saturday against Detroit.