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Are the Detroit Pistons risking an overreaction to their playoff exit?
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- Are the Detroit Pistons risking an overreaction to their playoff exit?
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Herro's arrival wouldn't change Ivey's role
Even though Herro would play on the wing, adding him wouldn't really affect how Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey are used. The two guards would still be key pieces for the Pistons.
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Herro has never played more than 67 games in a season due to various injuries, so the Pistons would still need depth behind him. This makes Ivey's role important regardless of Herro's presence.
Both Cunningham and Duren are still on their rookie contracts, giving Detroit some time before it needs to make any big financial decisions. By that point, they'll have a better idea of how well Herro fits with the rest of the team.
Ivey might not become a star right away, but getting another year alongside Cade and Herro could help his development.
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A chance for Ivey to develop alongside talent
The Pistons could wait until after next season to see how everything is working before deciding whether to keep both guards long-term or make changes. They might even look at bringing someone like Brandon Ingram into the mix if things don't go as planned.
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The Pistons keep getting mentioned in connection with scorers, and that's the real story. Whether it's Herro, Coby White, Isaiah Joe or Zach LaVine, these players all offer something Detroit lacked last season: someone who can put points on the board.
This year was a big step forward for Detroit, reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals and proving that Cade Cunningham can lead a competitive team. The next challenge is a tougher one – turning promise into genuine contention – and that often means surrounding your star with more firepower.
Some questions come with Herro, though. He can be a defensive target, and the money left on his contract means any team taking him on has to think about another big payday down the line.
But when you look at the way he plays, it's easy to see how he would slot into Detroit's lineup. He's one of the better volume shooters in the league, knows how to get his own shot off, and can handle pick-and-roll duties. Right away, he'd become one of Detroit's most reliable perimeter options.
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Adding that level of shooting wouldn't just help Cunningham operate more freely—it would also open up driving lanes for Jaden Ivey and give Jalen Duren more space to work inside. It's the kind of move that could bring immediate results on offence.
Pistons may try to fast-track their rebuild
But there's always a risk in moving things along too quickly. Young teams can lose their flexibility by making early trades, and Detroit still has one of the league's stronger young cores, with Ausar Thompson coming into his own and Jalen Duren set as a long-term piece.
Herro would help right away, but his contract could tighten up their future spending, so the front office needs to decide how much they want to push for immediate wins versus staying patient with their build.
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Most of the attention is always going to be on the Giannis side of things, which makes sense. He's one of the top players in the world, and any deal involving him takes over the news cycle. But for Detroit, this isn't really about Giannis — it's more about what it says about where they are as a team.
A year ago, they were still trying to prove they could even get into the playoffs. Now, they're being mentioned alongside established veterans who can help them win right away. That shift in focus says a lot about how far they've come.
Whether Herro ends up in Detroit or Giannis ends up in Miami remains to be seen. But what's clear is that the Pistons feel Cade Cunningham needs more support now, and they look ready to take real steps toward making that happen.
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