Story by
Kevin Huerter Has Been Fighting the Kyle Korver Label
- Story by
- Kevin Huerter Has Been Fighting the Kyle Korver Label
Kevin Huerter has been known as a shooter since he came into the league. So when Pistons fans saw that Huerter was the primary return in the trade that sent Jaden Ivey to Chicago , plenty of them felt Detroit sold low. He then shot 29.4% from three in 25 regular-season appearances for the Pistons , and a groin injury cost him most of the postseason . Detroit brought him back anyway, on a three-year, $27 million deal with a team option in the third year . The bet is that the rest of his game holds up while the jumper comes back.
Kevin Huerter's drive to show more than the shot
I asked Huerter how he has developed his all-around game, and he went straight to the doubters. "The other parts of my game are what I've been trying to show since I got in the league. Since the first reports about me coming out of college were being a ' Kyle Korver ' type and a still shooter, that was what people were always saying about me. (Detroit) is a great spot to showcase that; if you don't play defense, you're not going to be on the floor. So playing with high effort, playing as a team on both sides of the ball, that's something that obviously fits my game and continue to show I can do more than just a three-point shot."
Advertisement
The shot still has to come back
The shooting will have to improve to keep his minutes high in the rotation, but it was never the only part of his game. He can run the pick-and-roll as a passer. He cuts to the basket and is always moving. He can push the pace in the fast break, and while he is not Gary Payton, he knows where to be defensively. Huerter cleared 36% from three in six of his seven seasons in Atlanta and Sacramento . Get him back to that, and the fit is a good one.
Follow Sean Murphy on social media @seanhalfcourt and subscribe to the From Half Court podcast at www.youtube.com/fromhalfcourt
