After an earlier-than-expected playoff exit, the Pistons have some big decisions to make, and one of them should be letting Kevin Huerter walk. The 27-year-old wing had a reasonably okay season, but Detroit needs to make major impact moves in the offseason to be a real contender in 2026-2027. Huerter isn’t a player who will get them there.
The Detroit Pistons Should Let Kevin Huerter Walk In Free Agency
Huerter was drafted 19th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in 2018. Since then, he’s played for the Sacramento Kings, the Chicago Bulls, and now the Detroit Pistons. There’s a good reason why teams want him on their roster, mainly that he has some skills on the court.
Known as an elite catch-and-shoot threat from the perimeter, Huerter can be a dangerous man. He’s also got a high basketball IQ, which frequently shows itself in his savvy off-ball movement. Plus, he does a great job of reading the defense. If that’s not enough, Huerter also makes a great secondary playmaker. He doesn’t get enough credit for his passing ability.
As a general rule, Huerter is the exact kind of player any team wants on their bench. He’s smart, skilled, and is always ready to be the next man up. At the same time, he also didn’t seem to bring that same level of gamesmanship to the Pistons this season, and it may have caused more problems than a lot of fans realized.
The Huerter Trade Didn’t Pan Out For Detroit
After starting the 2025-2026 season with the Bulls, Huerter was part of a three-team deal at the trade deadline. That deal played a part in ending the NBA careers of both Dario Saric and Jaden Ivey. The Pistons brought him in to be a sharpshooter who adds to their offensive depth alongside Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, and Daniss Jenkins. It didn’t quite work out that way.
Once on the Pistons, Huerter saw dips in production and efficiency. He was still a shooter, but not on the level he had delivered at his peaks on the Kings and Bulls. He also didn’t play with the consistency he had on the Hawks in his early years. It would be easy to blame that on him being new to Detroit or him still trying to figure out his place on the roster.
Both theories are accurate. Detroit has a well-defined offensive engine that Huerter doesn’t really fit into. Joining the team mid-season didn’t help his situation, but he’s also a league veteran. It shouldn’t take him too long to find a rhythm. That didn’t happen in the regular season, and it definitely got worse in the postseason.
Huerter’s Time On the Pistons is Over
Through the 2025-2026 season, Huerter was averaging 10.0 points per game. In the post-season, that dropped to 1.2 points per game. In both cases, he was getting fewer minutes on the Pistons than he had been getting on the Bulls. Regardless, his career shooting average is 11.4 points per game, and both numbers represent declines for him.
Detroit is in a position right now where they need to make serious decisions about their future if they want to be a contender next season. A major priority has to be finding a co-star for Cunningham. Unfortunately, Huerter is ultimately taking up a valuable roster spot, not to mention a sizable chunk of the salary cap with a four-year deal worth $65 million.
That deal was complete as of the end of the Pistons’ season. Huerter is now an unrestricted free agent, meaning all Detroit has to do is tell him they aren’t re-signing him, and that’s the end of that. The Pistons need to make big-time moves this offseason to find that next gear.
Featured Image: Mike Watters-Imagn Images
