Chicago Bulls tear up Jaden Ivey's contract following anti‑gay social media remarks

The Chicago Bulls have cut guard Jaden Ivey after the 24‑year‑old posted a series of online video rants containing anti‑gay sentiments, with the organisation citing “conduct detrimental to the team”. The decision came on Monday, only weeks after Ivey arrived in Chicago following a trade from the Detroit Pistons.

Ivey, formerly the No. 5 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, had recently taken to Instagram Live multiple times, delivering lengthy monologues centred on his religious beliefs. In his most recent broadcast on Monday morning, he criticised the NBA’s Pride Month celebrations as “unrighteousness” and repeated similar sentiments in another evening stream. 

Head coach Billy Donovan addressed the issue ahead of the Bulls’ game against the San Antonio Spurs, stressing that the club expected players to uphold professional standards and respect colleagues from all backgrounds. Donovan added that while he hoped Ivey was “OK”, the team had to maintain organisational values.

Ivey appeared in just four games for the Bulls before being shut down for the season with a left‑knee issue on 26 March. His brief spell in Chicago followed an injury‑disrupted run in Detroit, during which he struggled to regain form after suffering a broken left fibula in January 2025. Despite showing promise early in his career, recurring injuries and his recent controversial online comments have overshadowed his on‑court prospects. 

In a subsequent livestream on Monday evening, Ivey disputed the Bulls’ reasoning for his release, claiming the organisation was “lying” and arguing he had been a good teammate. However, the wave of reaction to his social‑media broadcasts - which have also included remarks about depression, religion, popular music and abortion - ultimately prompted the franchise to part ways with him.