Josh Giddey says he hopes former Chicago Bulls guard Jaden Ivey “gets the help he needs” after Ivey was sacked by the team on after condemning the NBA’s support for the LGBTQ community.
A brief statement from the Bulls said the 24-year-old had been waived by the team for “conduct detrimental to the team.”
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The decision came after Ivey appeared to take aim at the NBA over its support for Pride month throughout the league.
“They proclaim Pride Month in the NBA. They proclaim it. They show it to the world. They say, ‘Come join us for Pride Month,’ to celebrate unrighteousness,” Ivey said in an Instagram live post.
“They proclaim it. They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim it in the streets – unrighteousness. So how is it that one can’t speak righteousness? How are they to say that, ‘Man, this man is crazy’?”
Ivey, who only joined Chicago two months ago in a trade from the Detroit Pistons, also took aim at Catholicism in an exchange with a commenter.
“Catholicism is a false religion. And is not the true Doctrine of Christ. (It) does not lead to salvation in Jesus Christ,” he commented.
Giddey wished Ivey the best and said he hoped Ivey gets the help he needs.
‘‘He’s a very talented player,’’ said the Australian.
‘Obviously, the whole thing is kind of unfortunate in a way. I hope he gets the help he needs, whatever he’s going through or not going through.
“I do really hope he gets help. It’s not going to be with the Bulls anymore, but wherever it is, I hope he gets it.’’
Ivey was regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the NBA when he was chosen with the fifth pick of the draft by Detroit in 2022.
However his career has been disrupted by injuries over the past two seasons, and he played only four times for Chicago after joining the team in February.
The Bulls are 12th in the Eastern Conference standings with a 29-46 record, the ninth worst in the NBA.
Giddey is tied for the second most triple doubles in the NBA this season with 13, equal with Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson and behind Denver’s Nikola Jokic (31).
