What’s Next for the Detroit Pistons Following the Jaden Ivey Trade?

Jaden Ivey was just traded to the Bulls in a 3 team deal that landed the Pistons sharpshooter Kevin Huerter and forward/center Dario Šarić. What might be next for Detroit?

Jan 7, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) guards Chicago Bulls guard Kevin Huerter (13) in the first quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

A three-team deal was struck on Tuesday as the Timberwolves have been aggressively pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo, leaving the Pistons to gain some decent assets in the process of helping a desperate Minnesota team.

In the wake of the Timberwolves clearing cap and the Bulls bracing for a rebuild, the Pistons were able to grab both draft a asset and a contending caliber player in exchange for their struggling young guard.

The draft asset obtained is in the form of a 2026 first-round protected swap from Minnesota. In addition, the Pistons grabbed a much needed shooter in the form of Kevin Huerter, as well as a movable asset in the form of Dario Šarić (lets circle back to him in a bit).

Scoring

While Jaden Ivey had struggled to return to pre-injury form, he had still provided a jolt to the Pistons offense.

Ivey is averaging 8 points per game and Huerter is averaging 11, so the Pistons are hoping Huerter will replace that spark Ivey brought as well. 

Huerter is known for being a sharpshooter, however, this season he is struggling a bit from range, shooting only 31.4% compared to Ivey’s 37.2%. 

Regardless, Pistons fans can expect with more quality open looks, within a higher caliber offense, that Huerter will improve this percentage and return to that knock-down spot-up sharpshooter most remember him as.

Should the worst come to pass, and Huerter continues to struggle, the Pistons can simply let him walk in the offseason and sign someone else with his generous $17 million cap number.

Šarić trade

Šarić is unlikely to suit up for the Pistons this season. This might be a bit of a shock when the team just acquired him, but bear with me for just a moment.

Šarić himself has played in only 5 games this season and is not exactly a player that the top seed in the Eastern Conference would need to continue to win games.

Šarić is on a $5.2 million deal that did not get aggregated as a part of the 3 team DeAndre Hunter deal that landed Šarić in Chicago in the first place. This led to the flexibility to move Šarić’s $5 million deal again this season.

The Pistons elected not to aggregate his contract either, meaning it’s likely he finds himself on the move again. Šarić isn’t on a very big contract, so it’s very possible the Pistons buy him out or hold onto him as well.

However, Pistons fans need to be prepared for the possibility that the #1 seed in the East is continuing to gather arms ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline.