The Pistons are heading into the playoffs confident in their roster moves this season, including trading Jaden Ivey for Kevin Huerter and a pick swap. It’s been a grand success so far, as Huerter is filling into his role nicely while Ivey has already been waived by the Bulls. Detroit may have had an opportunity to make a flashier trade, but opted for a low-risk one that’s paying off.
Jaden Ivey was not good all season long
As we all know by now, Ivey was ultimately cut by Chicago for off-court reasons. But the sad truth is that he wasn’t producing well on the court either this season. That harsh assessment applied to his time on both the Pistons and Bulls.
Before getting traded, Ivey was putting up 8 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists per game for the Pistons. It was hard to find consistent playing time for him in a deep rotation, and his injury setbacks only made it worse. Unfortunately, it seemed like he was headed towards becoming yet another bust for the Pistons as a former top pick.
Ivey was phenomenal in the season prior before getting injured after 30 games. That injury has really changed the trajectory of his career, and he hasn’t been able to reach the same heights since. When he was able to play, Ivey seemed noticeably less explosive this season than his pre-injury days.Â
Kevin Huerter has come along well for the Pistons
In return, the Pistons received Kevin Huerter, who didn’t look great in his first few outings with Detroit. But he’s now settled into his role and has impressed majorly in his last 10 games. Over that span, Huerter is averaging 12 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists per game while shooting 47% from the field and 39% from three.
Huerter has rediscovered his shooting stroke at the perfect time going into the playoffs. Between his lethal 3-point shooting and his surprisingly well-rounded game elsewhere, Huerter has given the Pistons a valuable rotation piece for the postseason. He can win the Pistons a couple games in the next few weeks with his underrated contributions.
Additionally, the Pistons got even more out of the trade by picking up a pick swap with the Timberwolves for this year’s draft. This pick swap would’ve been useless for the Bulls, but moves the Pistons up by 7 slots to the 21st pick. That might not seem like a huge difference but it’s additional value that the Pistons got for a player in free fall.
As controversial as it was at the time, the Jaden Ivey trade keeps looking better and better for the Pistons. They should have absolutely no regrets about making it.
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