The Pistons made a surprising but welcome change to their usual rotation on Sunday by subbing in Kevin Huerter before anybody else. Pistons fans have been dying to see Huerter get more opportunity and take over some of Caris LeVert's minutes since he arrived from Chicago. In a game where most of the Pistons lacked their usual effort, Huerter brought solid hustle and closeouts along with his outside shooting ability.
Kevin Huerter needs more playing time
Huerter has struggled to consistently crack Detroit's rotation since his arrival via trade, but is getting more minutes as of late. In the 4 games prior to Sunday's contest in Toronto, he averaged 23 minutes per game. Although he still hasn't quite found his shooting touch with the Pistons (averaging 23% from deep in Detroit), he's showcasing his all-around game whenever he sees the court.
However, Huerter's increased opportunities in recent games were also partially due to Ausar Thompson's absence with injury. This opened a gap on the wing that Huerter was able to fill, especially in blowout wins. Against the Raptors, Thompson returned and reassumed his starting role, so it was no surprise that Huerter's minutes went down to 14.
Still, the fact that Huerter was the first sub into the game holds promise for his future role on the team. He doesn't necessarily need to be the sixth man to have ample opportunity and impact, but getting consistent playing time will be huge for his rhythm as a shooter. Fortunately, Huerter has also found other ways to be effective when his shot isn't falling; he's better as a driver, defender and inside scorer than he's ever been.
Huerter must replace some of Caris LeVert's minutes
Contrary to popular fan sentiments, Caris LeVert still ended up leading the Pistons in bench minutes on Sunday with 20. Although he wasn't the first sub into the game, he still got plenty of time on the court - especially after hitting his first couple shots. Unfortunately, he went scoreless in the second half and missed his last 5 shots in the loss.
LeVert has been a polarizing figure among Pistons fans. One of the biggest criticisms of JB Bickerstaff has been his favoritism for LeVert dating back to their previous history on the Cavaliers. It seems that LeVert has a longer leash than most other Pistons, despite his head-scratching decisions at times.
He's undeniably a talented player with more offensive skill that most members of the roster. But Caris LeVert often settles for ill-advised jump shots and plays outside the flow of a fluid offense. He's struggled with turnovers, efficiency and inconsistent effort. It should come as no surprise that fans want to see Huerter take over some of his minutes.