The Pistons made a smart financial move by shedding Caris LeVert’s contract, but that decision appears to have created a gap in bench playmaking. Still, the solution might already be on the roster in Kevin Huerter, another experienced wing who signed a three-year extension this offseason. To justify that deal, Huerter will need to show more secondary creation ability.
Huerter could step into the role LeVert was expected to play. Last year, LeVert often looked like Detroit’s top backup point guard option, but Huerter doesn’t necessarily need to take on that much responsibility. With Daniss Jenkins emerging as a reliable lead guard, he should handle primary ball-handling duties for the second unit. If Huerter is fully healthy, though, he can ease Jenkins’s burden and generate offense out of catch-and-react situations.
Huerter arrived in Detroit at last season’s trade deadline as a relatively low-key acquisition. Fans had hoped for a more aggressive move to land a significant upgrade after Jaden Ivey’s departure, but Huerter was the piece that came back. He appeared in just 25 games to close the regular season and was also managing hip and adductor issues heading into the postseason.
Still, Huerter showed some intriguing flashes in those limited outings that challenge his reputation as purely a movement shooter. With Detroit, he converted 61% of his two-point attempts—a mark only the team’s centers surpassed. He also hinted at developing playmaking skills, delivering several multi-assist games by leveraging the defensive attention his shooting draws.
Huerter might actually be an improvement over LeVert. When he did see the floor, his basketball intelligence stood out he stays in constant motion, and defenses still honor his shot even though he connected on just 29% of his threes with the Pistons. He knows how to manipulate defensive coverages and create advantages for both himself and his teammates.
Defensively, Huerter performed better than his reputation suggests, averaging more than a steal per game in only 20 minutes. LeVert’s most valuable contribution in Detroit was arguably his defense, and Huerter demonstrated he can match that level of effectiveness.
Huerter may not be a difference-maker who reshapes the Pistons’ trajectory, but he could prove to be another quiet upgrade in a key bench role. He fits more naturally within the team’s offensive flow than LeVert did, while still possessing the improved handle and constant shooting gravity to generate looks for himself and others. Once fully recovered, he’s poised to take on significant bench minutes as a facilitator and well-rounded contributor.
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