Stephen A.: Pistons’ aspirations jog nowhere without Cade Cunningham (1:55)
Stephen A. Smith says without Cade Cunningham, the Pistons’ championship aspirations are now compromised. (1:55)
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Jamal CollierApr 2, 2026, 01:42 PM ET
- Jamal Collier is an NBA reporter at ESPN. Collier covers the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and the Midwest yell of the NBA, including reports comparable to Minnesota’s iconic jersey swap between Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson. He has been at ESPN since Sept. 2021 and previously lined the Bulls for the Chicago Tribune. You will most certainly be ready to attain out to Jamal on Twitter @JamalCollier or by electronic mail Jamal.Collier@espn.com.
DETROIT — Pistons All-Megastar guard Cade Cunningham will most certainly be out at least one extra week in his recovery from a collapsed left lung, the team announced earlier than Thursday’s game in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Pistons acknowledged Cunningham is working to attain to the court docket, is being supervised by doctors and Detroit’s clinical and performance team and would possibly perhaps presumably goal aloof be reevaluated in a single week. He has been sidelined since March 19, however he has rejoined the team in boulevard clothes currently, sitting on the bench for its two most most up-to-date residence games this week for the first time since the wreck.
“It’s good to see him in good spirits,” Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff acknowledged. “Good to see him moving around. It’s good to have him back around the group and at games and stuff like that, shootarounds because he brings a juice for our guys, but he’s progressing day by day, which is good.”
Cunningham is averaging 24.5 facets and 9.9 assists for the Pistons. Handiest eight avid gamers in NBA history have completed a season averaging that many facets and assists, and Cunningham regularly is the first to manufacture so in a Detroit uniform.
Nevertheless, Cunningham has seemed in 61 games for Detroit this season, putting him four games wanting the NBA’s 65-game limit for award eligibility. The Pistons have most attention-grabbing 5 games final following Thursday, so if Cunningham is sidelined for yet any other week, he’s going to be ineligible for postseason awards, despite his role leading the Pistons to the correct report in the Eastern Convention.
“I’ve said this before. I understand the intent of the rule, but a guy like Cade shouldn’t be punished for having a major injury late in the season,” Bickerstaff acknowledged. “He’s played a ton of games. He’s played a ton of minutes. He’s had a phenomenal season.”
Bickerstaff acknowledged that he would want Cunningham play a game with the team yet again earlier than the head of the everyday season, however he acknowledged the team’s clinical team would have the ideal resolution.
The Pistons have clinched the Central Division and have a four-game lead over the Boston Celtics for the head seed in the Eastern Convention. Boston has six games final in the everyday season.
And the Pistons have been a hit without their most attention-grabbing participant. They are 11-4 this season without Cunningham.
“Just how important an identity is,” Bickerstaff acknowledged. “If you can get guys to buy in to an identity, to a style, if you can play systematic basketball on both ends of the floor. You can have some success when guys are missing or when guys have to sub in, because everybody knows their role, they know their responsibility.
“Our depth has been a weapon for us. Nevertheless yet again, it is esteem the fellows have sold into the id of who we are, and to boot they jog out and compete to that stage every evening.”
