At the trade deadline, the Chicago Bulls dealt Kevin Huerter to the Pistons for Jaden Ivey—a move that looks better with every passing game. Huerter has struggled in his signature skill, three-point shooting, for both the Bulls and the Pistons so far. Even if Jaden Ivey doesn’t reach his full potential in Chicago, Huerter’s regression proves that the Bulls maximized his trade value.
Kevin Huerter isn’t living up to expectations in Detroit
Huerter has now played in four games for the Pistons and hit just one three-point shot in total. He’s shot just 1-of-9 from deep for Detroit, and it’s severely hurting his impact. Even though he’s contributing in other ways, Huerter isn’t able to fill his ideal role if his shot isn’t falling.
The Bulls were wise to move on from him when they did. Huerter has struggled to knock down threes all season, including his time on the Bulls. Before being traded, he was shooting just 31.4 percent from deep. Flipping him for a talented young player with a high ceiling was great asset management from the Bulls' front office.
At the end of the day, Huerter wasn’t helping the Bulls win many games in the short term and wasn’t young enough to fit the long term timeline. Now, they’ve turned him into a younger piece who can join a new team without the pressure to win immediately. Ivey was clearly in need of a change of scenery; Chicago could be the perfect backdrop for his breakout.
With the way Huerter’s been shooting recently, it’s hard to imagine a better return for him than Ivey. The Bulls did a great job of targeting a team in the Pistons that was desperate for additional shooting, and added to their young talent pool in the process. Remember that Ivey averaged 17.6 points per game last season on impressive efficiency before injury.
In the same stretch that Huerter has struggled shooting for the Pistons, Ivey has been solid from outside for the Bulls. He’s shot 8-of-21 from three since suiting up for Chicago. Clearly, Ivey’s becoming more comfortable with the extra opportunities and playing time that the Bulls can provide.
Even though the Bulls have lost every game Ivey has played in, that’s no worry for Bulls fans. If anything, these losses will only improve their odds in a stacked draft. At the same time, Ivey should continue to develop his skills both on and off the ball. If he can regain or even exceed his pre-injury form, Ivey could be a great shooting guard for years to come.
It’s still too early to declare winners and losers from this trade, but one thing is clear: the Bulls have no regrets about trading away Kevin Huerter.