When the Detroit Pistons brought Kevin Huerter into the fold, the expectation was clear: inject some much-needed offensive firepower with his floor-spacing capabilities. Huerter, a career 36.8% shooter from deep, has always had the knack for stretching defenses, and now he's starting to show why the Pistons were eager to acquire him.
Initially, Huerter's transition to Detroit was rocky. In his first month, he appeared in nine of 15 games, averaging just 4.8 points on .400/.167/1.000 shooting, and his impact was minimal with only 14.7 minutes per game.
But things are turning around. Over the next stretch, Huerter played in eight of nine games, boosting his averages to 10.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting .471/.286/1.000 in 22.9 minutes. He’s hit double digits in scoring in four of those eight games, including a solid performance against the Lakers with seven points, three assists, and two steals, all without the help of star guard Cade Cunningham.
The latest game against the New Orleans Pelicans was a showcase of what Huerter can bring. Dropping 22 points, three rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 34 minutes, he led the Pistons to a convincing 129-108 victory. This was his second-highest scoring game of the season and marked his first 20-point outing for Detroit, shooting an impressive 9-of-14 from the field and 4-of-7 from three-point range.
This wasn't a one-off, either. Just a few games earlier, he tallied 14 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals against the Wizards. In between these standout performances, he’s been consistently contributing, suggesting that he's finding his rhythm.
Although Huerter's three-point shooting has been inconsistent since joining the Pistons, his recent performance against New Orleans might signal a turning point. Even if he doesn't hit the 40.2% he managed in the 2022-23 season, getting back to his career average of 36.8% would be a significant boost for Detroit's offensive dynamics.