With the addition of Isaiah Joe, the Pistons perimeter shooting positions have gotten crowded, threatening to push Kevin Huerter further down the rotation. Huerter had a tough season from long distance in 2025-2026 and struggled to provide support to Cade Cunningham as a secondary playmaker. Joe definitely has the potential to meet these demands head-on. That has to leave Huerter wondering how he fits into the equation, particularly with other shooters also on the roster.
How Does Kevin Huerter Fit on a Pistons’ Roster With Isaiah Joe?
With the start of training camp inching closer with each passing day, Detroit has more than a few question marks to deal with. Naturally, the biggest of them all is Jalen Duren. The negotiations with their rising star center are becoming increasingly acrimonious. Many believe that a qualifying deal followed by Duren’s 2027 departure as an unrestricted free agent is all but inevitable at this point. That is, of course, assuming cooler heads prevail on both sides and a deal can be reached. Considering what the Pistons are building and how Duren fits into that plan, it would be a real shame to see this relationship fall apart.
With the Duren situation being what it is, Detroit also has to work out what their rotation looks like. Assuming Duren ends up staying, he’ll be starting alongside Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, and likely John Collins. That’s actually a solid unit, one that could make some serious noise, particularly in the playoffs. On top of that, the Pistons have done a solid job building their depth in the offseason, which was an issue that haunted them in the playoffs when their starters struggled.
After losing both Isaiah Stewart and Tobias Harris, the Pistons made additions to the roster. That includes both the aforementioned Joe and Collins as well as Taurean Prince and Gary Harris. On top of that, Detroit traded up in the 2026 draft to make sure they got Ebuka Okorie, a rookie guard with a high ceiling. The additions of Joe and Harris in particular have added serious long-range depth to a rotation that already included Robinson, Thompson, and Huerter. The problem for the Pistons is how to distribute minutes to the rotation, and what that looks like for guys like Huerter this season. It’s gonna be a bit of a logjam at the perimeter.
Huerter Could Be Watching From the Bench a Lot
As it stands right now, Huerter is projected to be the Pistons’ third-string shooting guard and fourth-string small forward on their depth chart. The recently acquired Joe has already been slotted in front of him at second- and third-string at those same positions. It’s clear that Detroit plans on putting significant rotation weight on Joe, which is the smart move. He shoots over 40% from beyond the arc, creating much-needed gravity with defenders. Plus, he has a lightning-fast trigger in catch-and-shoot scenarios, meaning the defense cannot give him any space.
That’s why the Pistons’ Joe is projected as their second shooting guard behind Robinson and ahead of Huerter. Between injuries, a mid-season trade, and other factors, Huerter wasn’t exactly on his game last season. Honestly, it was a bit of a surprise that the Pistons handed him a three-year extension considering his middling performance. If he continues to perform in 2026-2027 the way he did in 2025-2026, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Harris move up the rotation with Huerter on the bench. Joe’s performance will be key in that, particularly if he’s consistently out-shooting Huerter every time he’s on the court.
Keeping that in mind, there may be opportunities for Joe and Huerter to be on the court at the same time if the Pistons go small ball. One could play the 2 while the other plays the 3, giving them a chance to light it up from long range together. This could be incredibly useful if the defense is wary of Joe’s shooting and locks him down. The result would be more opportunities for Huerter. That would require Huerter to deliver, which is something he has been struggling with.
Will Both Huerter and Joe Finish the Season as Pistons?
Even Duren has a clearer outlook than Huerter as a Piston. Barring anything wildly unexpected happening, Robinson will remain the Pistons’ starting shooting guard with Joe as his primary backup. After that, Huerter will get sparse minutes as the third in line. The problem for Huerter is the trade deadline. Throughout the first three months of the season, the Pistons will be assessing what they need for a deeper playoff run, just like every other team in the league. If they decide they need to add depth somewhere else, it’s unlikely that they’re going to trade Robinson or Joe. It’s going to be Huerter.
He has reasonable trade value, an affordable contract for what he offers, and is available to trade as of December 15. It’s not hard to imagine Huerter being part of a trade package designed to bring more depth to power forward in Detroit. When your team already has a lineup at shooting guard that includes Robinson and Joe, not to mention additional long-range shooters like Harris and Prince, a player like Huerter is the obvious person to move.
For Huerter to avoid this, he has to use whatever minutes he gets to make himself absolutely integral to the Pistons. As long as Huerter stays healthy and produces as he has previously shown, then he will be a valuable third-string or part of a small-ball lineup. The irony is that kind of performance also makes his trade value even better. There’s no doubt that Joe is a big addition to the Pistons, offering them the kind of elite second-string shooting they’ve needed. He’ll even take some of the pressure off Cunningham when they’re on the court together. It’s just hard to see Huerter making the same kind of contributions.
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