Cade Cunningham: The Pistons' Only Hope, Or Just Another Myth?
Stephen A. Smith went on a rant the other day, as he does. The gist? Without Cade Cunningham, the Detroit Pistons are going nowhere fast. Their "championship aspirations" are compromised, he said. And look, it's hard to argue with the sentiment. The Pistons finished the 2023-24 season with a dismal 14-68 record, dead last in the NBA. That's a franchise record for futility, breaking the previous mark of 16-66 set by the 1979-80 team. It's bad. Real bad.
Thing is, even with Cunningham on the floor, the Pistons still weren't exactly world-beaters. He played 62 games this past season, averaging 22.7 points and 7.5 assists. Those are solid numbers for a 22-year-old guard. But the team's record in those games? Still abysmal. They were 12-50 when Cade played. That means they won just two games without him. Two. So, while Stephen A. isn't wrong that Cunningham is their best player, implying that his *absence* alone is what's derailing title hopes feels a little…generous to the current state of affairs. Detroit hasn't won a playoff series since 2008. They haven't even made the playoffs since 2019, when they were swept by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Context and History
**Is Cade Really "That Guy?"**
Here's the real question: Is Cade Cunningham truly the kind of generational talent around whom you build a championship contender? He was the first overall pick in the 2021 draft, a high-IQ playmaker with good size. He had a 43-point, 7-assist game against the Chicago Bulls in March, and a 33-point, 10-assist, 9-rebound near-triple-double against the Pacers in December. Those flashes are tantalizing. But consistency has been an issue, partly due to injuries. He missed most of his second season with a shin injury, playing just 12 games. This year, he shot 44.9% from the field and 35.5% from three, which is okay, but not exactly superstar efficiency.
The Pistons have surrounded him with some interesting pieces. Jaden Ivey, the fifth pick in 2022, is a dynamic guard. Ausar Thompson, the fifth pick in 2023, is a defensive stopper. But none of them have truly popped as a definitive second star. And the front office, led by GM Troy Weaver, has made some head-scratching moves. Trading Saddiq Bey, a capable shooter, to Atlanta in February 2023 for James Wiseman, who hasn't panned out, raised eyebrows. Giving Monty Williams a six-year, $78 million contract last summer for a coach who delivered 14 wins feels like a massive miscalculation. They've stockpiled high draft picks, but haven't translated them into wins or even competitive basketball.
Current Situation
Stephen A. is right that without Cunningham, the Pistons are a G-League squad. But even *with* him, they're still light years away from sniffing a championship. They need more than just one good player. They need a coherent plan, better roster construction, and frankly, a whole lot of luck. My hot take? Cunningham will eventually request a trade if the Pistons don't show significant improvement by the end of his rookie contract. He's too good to waste his prime on a team that seems perpetually stuck in the lottery.