The Pistons have been thriving recently even without Cade Cunningham, and strong bench contributions from guys like Kevin Huerter deserve a lot of credit. Huerter in particular has proven himself in the rotation as a well-rounded shooter in the backup unit. Huerter's skills as both a shooter and in other aspects has completely changed the Pistons' bench lineups and helped elevate the team without their usual offensive superstar.
Kevin Huerter is helping the Pistons like no other
Huerter showed the full impact of his arsenal last night against the Pelicans. He finished with 22 points, including 9-of-14 from the field and 4-of-7 from three. When he's hitting from outside, only Duncan Robinson can match his impact as a shooter on the Pistons roster. However, Huerter's contributions don't just stop at this threes; he's also steadily unveiling his diverse skillset that could be a game changer for the Pistons in the playoffs.
For example, Huerter is able to leverage his shooting threat and surprisingly tight handle to attack aggressive closeouts. This leads to easy finishes for himself inside the arc or playmaking for teammates. Against New Orleans, he repeatedly got to the rim when defenders overplayed him on the outside. Huerter does this both off the catch and cutting off the ball for easy backdoor finishes.
Huerter's skillset is a revelation for the Pistons off the bench. Duncan Robinson's offensive impact among the starters can't be denied but the Pistons have missed a similar force to steady their bench unit. If they can continue to get this level of production from Huerter in the playoffs and combine it with their usual tenacity and physical domination, the Pistons' depth could be an advantage against any opponent.
Huerter is establishing himself as a difference maker
On top of his clear offensive skills, Huerter has also improved his defense to the point of not being a liability. He may still often be the weakest defender on the court for the Pistons, but Huerter can't be hunted at will by most teams anymore. This development has shaped Huerter into a true two-way player and helped him complete the Pistons' bench lineups.
With his constant off-ball movement and shooting threat, Huerter makes life easier for this teammates. This has been huge for the Pistons as they've had to rely on less experienced ball handlers while Cade nurses his injury. But Detroit also doesn't have to pick between non-factors on either end when Huerter can take the floor.
With a lot of the Pistons' other wings, they have glaring deficiencies on one end (usually offense). In the playoffs, teams can take advantage of those weaknesses but Huerter gives the Pistons a new counter that can't be exploited.