A number of factors are responsible for the Detroit Pistons falling short in seven games to the Cleveland Cavaliers during the playoffs.
For team president Trajan Langdon, an injury to a key role player – Kevin Huerter – might’ve singlehandedly been the difference-maker.
“I do believe if he would’ve been on the roster and he wasn't hurt, we could’ve won the second series and then on,” Langdon said during the team’s media day on Monday, Sept. 28. “He looks great this summer. We’re looking forward to having him back.”
Huerter arrived at the February trade deadline in a deal that sent former 2022 fifth-overall pick Jaden Ivey to the Chicago Bulls. A veteran and versatile offensive weapon, Huerter began to find his stride toward the end of the regular
season. However, a left adductor strain suffered in Game 3 of the first round against the Orlando Magic ended up costing him the entire postseason.
Now, Huerter is 100% healthy following offseason surgery and is eager to pick up where he left off, after signing a three-year contract worth $27 million in July. The 28-year-old wanted to re-sign with the Pistons, who have faith that the 6-foot-6 wing will find his outside shooting touch again and be a key role player this season.
“I was definitely looking forward to trying to get back, so excited to be back here,” Huerter said on Monday. “Offseason, first and foremost, was about health, getting my body right and working on my shot in a lot of ways. Those two things, body and my 3-point shooting, getting some of my rhythm and confidence back.
“First and foremost we were really good, so at this point in my career I want to be on a good team, so that was important,” he continued. “A team that wanted me back, kinda from the jump when I got here, got traded here, for them and for myself it was something that hopefully was going to be more than a three-month thing. I like the chemistry of this group, I like the toughness of this group, I like coach J.B. [Bickerstaff]. I hope this is a multiyear thing that we can build towards and me still being part of the team that’s going to be better over the next couple of years.”
In 25 games with the Pistons, Huerter averaged 8.6 points, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 20.5 minutes. Now entering his ninth season, Huerter has a reputation as a three-level scorer and, for most of his career, reliable outside shooter. However, his 3-point percentage has plunged to 32.4% over his last two seasons, after knocking down 38.2% through his first six.
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Though he only hit 29.4% of his 3-pointers in Detroit last season, he started to find a rhythm toward the end. It started with a breakout 22-point performance in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans on March 26, during which he shot 9-for-14 overall and 4-for-7 from deep. Huerter reached double-figures in the scoring column in six of his last nine regular season appearances, knocking down 40% of his 3-pointers (20-for-50) during the stretch.
His offseason work has been based around sustaining that strong shooting stretch, and getting back to the player he was through the first part of his career.
“Trying some new things,” he said. “Workout-wise, lots of contested shooting, lots of movement shooting. Changing a little bit of my work habits and different routines, trying to workshop and try different things out. I think that worked, feel good. We’ll know a little bit more in a couple of weeks.”
During the playoffs, Huerter said he re-aggravated a groin injury he initially suffered with the Bulls earlier in the season. He and the medical staff rehabbed the injury through the postseason, but it eventually became clear during the second round that a longer recovery would be necessary.
“I had surgery like five days after the season, a cleanup on the groin,” he said. “It was something that was just frustrating, to be honest. Having to come to this team wanting to contribute and not being able to work through it.”
Even when Huerter’s 3-pointers weren’t falling last season, he had a positive impact on the floor. He’s among the best finishers in the league at his size and made 31 of his 40 attempts (78%) at the rim with the Pistons, according to Cleaning The Glass. It was his fourth year in a row making at least 71% of such attempts, ranking at least in the 81st percentile among wings in that span.
Huerter is also a strong shooter from midrange, a smart and willing passer and posts solid block and steal numbers for a wing. The Pistons describe him as a true two-way player and were impressed by what they saw last season, leading to a multi-year contract over the summer.
On a deep roster, Huerter has a chance to be among the team’s top contributors.
“The most important thing is he’s gotta be healthy,” Bickerstaff said on Tuesday. “Talent doesn't matter if you can’t get on the floor and can’t do it at full speed. He’s taken the time to get 100% healthy. We’ve always gotta be highly aware of what these guys are doing to make sure they can play all 82 games, or whatever it may be, to the best of their ability. We always take that into consideration but we know his talent level. And if he’s healthy, we know how he can impact the team.”
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Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky.
For (preseason) openers: Suns
Matchup: Pistons (60-22 in 2025-26) vs. Phoenix (45-37), exhibition opener.
Faceoff: 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5; Little Caesars Arena, Detroit.
TV/radio: The Spot – Detroit 20; WXYT-FM (97.1).
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Kevin Huerter will be a factor for Detroit Pistons after groin surgery
