The Detroit Pistons’ pursuit of Tyler Herro may not be over after all. Just days after the Milwaukee Bucks acquired the former Miami Heat All-Star in the blockbuster Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, new reporting suggests Milwaukee could be more open to discussing Herro than previously believed .
The Giannis Blockbuster: Setting the Stage
On June 22, the Bucks agreed to trade Antetokounmpo the most accomplished player in franchise history to the Miami Heat . The deal, which cannot become official until the moratorium ends on July 6, sends Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis, three first-round picks (including No. 13 overall), a 2030 pick swap, and a 2033 second-round pick to Milwaukee . The Bucks also send Bobby Portis to Miami .
The trade ended a 13-year run for Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee that included two NBA MVPs and the franchise’s first championship in half a century . The 31-year-old played a career-low 36 games during the 2025-26 season, averaging 27.6 points and 9.8 rebounds while working through multiple injuries .
How the Bucks’ Draft Pick Changed the Equation
According to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, rival teams increasingly believe Milwaukee’s first-round draft decision may have changed the equation for Herro’s future . The Bucks selected Arizona guard Brayden Burries with the No. 10 overall pick .
Burries, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound guard, averaged a team-high 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting 49.1% from the field in his lone collegiate season . Described as “one of the best three-level scorers in his age group,” Burries brings a strong blend of shooting and ballhandling that could eventually fill part of Herro’s offensive role .
“Some rival teams have surmised that the Bucks’ selection of Arizona’s Brayden Burries … actually makes Milwaukee more willing than not to consider offers for Herro,” Stein and Fischer wrote in The Stein Line .
While the Bucks have consistently conveyed that they value Herro—the Milwaukee native—and are open to keeping him, sources indicate the team will both listen to trade offers and consider retaining the former All-Star .
Pistons’ Interest Remains Strong
Detroit has “maintained an interest in Herro all along,” according to Stein and Fischer’s reporting . The Pistons aggressively pursued Herro before the Giannis blockbuster became official and have since continued reshaping their roster .
The appeal is clear: Herro averaged 20.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists while shooting 48.0% from the field and 37.8% from three-point range last season . His combination of shot creation, perimeter shooting, and secondary playmaking would complement franchise cornerstone Cade Cunningham, giving Detroit another high-level offensive creator .
At 26 years old and on an expiring $33 million contract, Herro is closer in age to Detroit’s core of Cunningham (24), Ausar Thompson (23), and Jalen Duren (22) than other veteran options .
How Recent Roster Moves Affect Trade Talks
Detroit’s trade assets have already shifted significantly. Earlier this week, the Pistons explored a package built around Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland, Duncan Robinson, and draft compensation to acquire Herro as part of the Giannis trade framework . However, that specific package is no longer possible.
Stewart was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies during the second round of the NBA Draft, shedding $15 million in salary . The Pistons also acquired sharpshooter Isaiah Joe from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for two second-round picks .
The Joe acquisition addresses part of Detroit’s need for perimeter shooting, but Herro would provide a different dimension as a proven primary scorer capable of creating offense both on and off the ball .
What Detroit Might Offer Now
With Stewart off the table, Detroit’s potential trade package for Herro would look different. The team still has Ron Holland, Marcus Sasser, and potentially others as trade chips . As noted by the Detroit Free Press, the Pistons cannot trade for Herro without parting with two of their salary-matching pieces .
The question for Detroit is how much they’re willing to give up for a player with availability issues Herro played a career-low 33 games last season and a pay raise potentially looming .
Herro’s Fit and Concerns
While Herro would address Detroit’s need for perimeter scoring and secondary ball-handling, there are legitimate concerns . He has a history of playing better during the regular season than in the playoffs, averaging 14.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists across six postseason runs all below his regular-season averages . His defensive effort has also drawn criticism .
However, Herro has 50 playoff games under his belt 30 more than Cunningham has through five seasons—and would play a complementary offensive role alongside Cunningham, rather than being miscast as a No. 1 option as he was in Miami .
“It’s a worthwhile investment in an offensive player who could take a significant amount of pressure off of Cunningham from day one,” writes PistonPowered, noting that Herro’s expiring contract provides an easy out if things don’t work out .
What’s Next
Whether Detroit ultimately lands Herro depends almost entirely on Milwaukee’s willingness to listen to offers . The Bucks continue balancing two competing priorities: keeping Herro as a former All-Star and Milwaukee native to help remain competitive after Antetokounmpo’s departure, or using his expiring contract as a trade chip to acquire additional assets for their rebuild .
Free agency officially begins June 30, and the Pistons have positioned themselves with significant flexibility after shedding Stewart’s salary and acquiring Joe . Detroit has already demonstrated it has no intention of standing still as the Eastern Conference continues to evolve .
If Stein and Fischer’s latest reporting proves accurate, Detroit’s long-running pursuit of Tyler Herro may still have another chapter left to unfold .
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