Head coach JB Bickerstaff appears to be honing his 10-man rotation for the playoffs, and so far, it doesn’t include Kevin Huerter.
Since the break, coach Bickerstaff has been playing his normal starters with Daniss Jenkins, Ron Holland II, Javonte Green, Caris LeVert and Paul Reed, though Reed’s minutes will obviously dip when Isaiah Stewart comes back.
I’ve had several readers ask my opinion as to why Huerter isn’t playing and my response has been the same, “they have better players.”
I don’t think it’s more complicated than that, even last night when the Pistons were struggling to score and could have used another floor spacer.
It’s also becoming abundantly clear that this trade was more about the other assets involved than it was about Huerter, as the Pistons were able to move up nine spots in a loaded draft and get a bit more cap flexibility in the trade.
JB Bickerstaff has also made it clear he’s going to prioritize the guys who were already there, particularly Caris LeVert and Javonte Green, though we’ll see if that changes after the brutal stretch of the schedule the Pistons are currently getting through.
JB Bickerstaff may be forced to juggle the Pistons rotation
There are some online fans losing their minds after last night’s loss to San Antonio, but I wouldn’t get too worked up, as none of the other teams have a seven-foot-five alien affecting every shot.
I also don’t think the Spurs are going to hit 45 percent of their 3-point shots every night, so coach Bickerstaff isn’t going to overreact to one loss, nor should he.
But if the Pistons struggle to score against the Thunder, Cavaliers and then the Spurs again, in games that will have a playoff atmosphere, then he may have to find ways to inject some more shooting into the lineup, which could mean a second look at Huerter.
If I wanted to be really conspiratorial, I’d say it’s possible JB is just saving Red Velvet, so he has a new look for the playoffs, but I do not think that’s the case.
There is a chance we’ll see Huerter again, but if the Pistons can emerge from this stretch relatively unscathed, it will only boost coach Bickerstaff’s confidence in the 10-11 players he’s been winning with, a group that does not include Huerter.
Unfortunately, this drives home the reality of Jaden Ivey’s trade value, as the Pistons took on a player who likely wasn’t going to play much just for a better first-round pick. The pick was the big “prize” of the trade, and Huerter was just there to make the money work.