A three-team shuffle at the trade deadline is reshaping backcourts and balance sheets across the Central Division.
Chicago, Minnesota and Detroit finalized a deal that sends Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley to the Bulls, while the Pistons land Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric. Detroit also picks up a protected 2026 first-round pick swap from Minnesota, according to league sources.
The move checks different boxes for each franchise. Chicago comes away with both youth and experience in its guard rotation, adding the 23-year-old Ivey alongside the veteran steadiness of Conley. Ivey, the No. 5 pick in the 2022 draft, never fully found his footing this season in Detroit after returning from knee surgery, averaging 8.2 points in limited minutes. Conley, now 38, provides leadership and ball-handling despite posting career lows of 4.4 points and 2.9 assists.
Detroit’s return centers on shooting and flexibility. Huerter gives the East-leading Pistons a perimeter threat at a time when they’re eyeing a deep postseason run, while Saric’s expiring contract adds frontcourt depth and future maneuverability. All four players involved are on expiring deals, keeping Detroit’s books clean beyond this season.
Minnesota’s role in the transaction was purely financial. By moving Conley without taking back salary, the Timberwolves slipped under the first luxury-tax apron and slashed their tax bill from $24 million to $3.8 million. That breathing room could prove crucial as the franchise explores aggressive options ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, including a potential pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In one deal, Chicago reshapes its guard room, Detroit sharpens its roster around contention, and Minnesota clears the runway for bigger swings still to come.
