The Detroit Pistons' big swing at the trade deadline was acquiring Kevin Huerter, who played just 45 playoff minutes. It was a disastrous trade that was just finalized by a pick swap in the 2026 NBA Draft. Detroit salvaged some value as they move up from 28th overall to 21. It gave the Pistons the chance to move up to 17th overall and land Ebuka Okorie. They finally got a playmaker, but the Huerter trade should still haunt Detroit.
Detroit dumped Jaden Ivey in this deal, but they needed to take a bigger swing. The young squad had the best record in the East and a real shot to win the championship. The Pistons clearly lacked shooting and on-ball creation. Huerter didn’t solve either problem as they flamed out in the second round of the playoffs.
Injuries slowed the 6’6 wing in the playoffs, but he scored six points in 45 minutes of action. Huerter never fit, and the Pistons wasted a serious shot at winning the title. Getting off Ivey was a victory, and moving up from 28 to 21 was an added benefit that keeps this deal from being a total nightmare.
Pistons get silver lining from disastrous Kevin Huerter trade in 2026 NBA Draft
Most draft experts had first-round grades on around 25 players in this draft class. Moving up helped the Pistons trade up further for Okorie. He adds to Detroit’s young core and gives them a playmaker to develop around Cade Cunningham. Okorie ability to attack the rim will help the Pistons immensely.
Here is a look at the full details of the Kevin Huerter trade from February’s deadline.
Pistons received: Kevin Huerter, Dario Saric, and Karim Lopez
Timberwolves got: Joshua Jefferson and cash
Bulls acquired: Jaden Ivey and Mike Conley
The Pistons traded three second round picks and Lopez to get Okorie on draft night.
The Timberwolves dealt Mike Conley to save money at the deadline. The Bulls sent the veteran point guard to the Hornets the next day. Charlotte waived him, which allowed Conley to re-sign with the Wolves.
The Bulls ended up waiving Jaden Ivey, which made this trade a total disaster for Chicago. It was just another reason they fired the lead decision-maker, Arturas Karnisovas, in April.
Detroit's failure was not trading for more at the deadline. They had a real shot to win it all in 2026 and didn't maximize the chance. The Pistons got the best asset from this trade in the 21st pick. They quickly waived Dario Saric and hoped for more from Huerter. Had he even played a small role off the bench, this trade would have been a win. Hindsight makes it look disastrous unless Okorie blossoms into a key piece of the Cade Cunningham era.
The pressure is on Trajan Langdon and the Pistons' front office. They are ready to contend, but need to put the right pieces around their superstar. Kevin Huerter wasn’t the answer. The Pistons are about to get significantly more expensive and have to nail this offseason. Hopefully, trading up for Okorie was the start.
The Detroit Pistons' moving up in the 2026 NBA Draft was a silver lining of a disastrous trade. Thinking Huerter would be a difference-maker was a mistake. There were years of evidence to the contrary. The Pistons can’t afford to let another transaction cycle pass without significant upgrades. The pressure is on. Hopefully, this pick is just the start of a strong offseason. If not, leadership changes may be necessary in the Motor City.
Add us as a preferred source on Google