Pistons fans around the globe rejoiced last night as the Detroit Pistons landed the first overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft Lottery. For the first time in the franchise’s history, Detroit moved up in the lottery with their own pick.
The Pistons are now on the clock. Cade Cunningham, the consensus top prospect in this year’s draft class, is almost guaranteed to be the selection by Pistons’ GM Troy Weaver. Barring some dramatic twist of fate, Cunningham will be in a Pistons uniform come next season.
It has already been reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the 19-year-old point guard out of Oklahoma State will only visit with Detroit prior to the NBA Draft on July 29th.
Sources: The plan for presumptive No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham will be to visit only one team prior to the NBA Draft on July 29: The Detroit Pistons.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2021
The Detroit Pistons finally get a chance at a superstar in Cade Cunningham
Standing at 6-8, the 19-year-old is the perfect prototype of a player that Weaver covets for his team. Weaver has built this roster with plenty of long, tall, and athletic players including, Jerami Grant and Josh Jackson.
Questions will surface about what Detroit’s rotation will end up looking like next season. Killian Hayes could slide to the two-guard spot, or the 6-5 guard could find himself as the sixth man off the bench for Detroit. A decision like that could be greatly influenced by Hamidou Diallo’s pending free agency this offseason.
Whatever Detroit’s rotation shakes out to be, the Pistons have just found themselves with possibly the brightest future of any rebuilding team in the league. Detroit’s rookies continuing to develop as they enter year two and the inclusion of the top prospect in the 2021 NBA Draft will make the Pistons a very competitive young team in Weaver’s second year at the helm of this rebuild.
The Detroit Pistons have a very bright future ahead of them. As the team looks forward to potentially becoming contenders in the next few seasons, they will have their eyes set on making the play-in tournament this upcoming season and quite possibly an appearance in the NBA Playoffs.
The Pistons’ potential success next season will come in great part from the immediate impact that Cunningham will have on both ends of the floor in his rookie season.
Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham can be Detroit’s floor general and possibly their go-to scorer
On the offensive end of the floor, Cunningham immediately offers Detroit another scorer to pair with power forward Jerami Grant.
With 22.3 points per contest, Grant, the Pistons’ leading scorer, was the only reliable shot creator for the team last season. The second-highest points per game total by a Piston who was with Detroit all of last season is Josh Jackson with 13.4 points per game.
Heading into the 2021 NBA offseason, Detroit needed to find another scorer to pair with Grant. Not only can Cunningham be that other scorer, but he could also usurp Grant for the team’s number one scoring option this season.
Cunningham will open up better looks for Grant next season. The 19-year-old has shown the ability to create his own shot at the collegiate level, and if he can translate that ability to the NBA, he will pull attention that was otherwise directed towards Grant for most of Detroit’s offensive possessions.
With two scoring threats on the court, more opportunities for both Grant and Cunningham to get good looks at the basket will present themselves. The pairing of Cunningham and Grant as a one-two punch on the offensive end will be beneficial to the Pistons who ranked 27th in the NBA in points per game.
Cunningham offers Detroit immediate relief for their three-point shooting woes of the previous season. Detroit ranked 22nd in the NBA in both three-pointers made and three-point shooting percentage. Cunningham, a 40 percent three-point shooter in his lone year at Oklahoma State, can provide steady shooting for Detroit from beyond the arc.
The 19-year-old is proficient in scoring from all three levels whether the ball is in his hand or as an off-ball shooter. In the pick-and-roll, Cunningham has shown the ability to easily diagnose the defense and make the correct play. Cunningham even has the makings of a decent post-game.
While Cunningham has shown the ability to be a very good playmaker, the point guard is not without his flaws as a ball-handler. Cunningham’s assist to turnover ratio is a glaring concern on his otherwise immaculate scouting report. The 6-8 guard averaged 3.5 assists per game but turned the ball over four times per game as well. Cleaning up his ball security will be a top priority for the young prospect as he enters the NBA.
Cunningham will have an instant positive impact on the offensive end of the court for the Pistons next season. The 6-8 point guard can attack the rim, shoot very well from beyond the arc, and has the makings of a solid playmaker at the NBA level. While the young prospect does have areas to improve in his offensive game, he will be one of the Pistons’ top offensive players from day one of the 2021-22 regular season.
Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham is no slouch on defense
While his defensive prowess is not as awe-inducing as his offensive abilities, Cunningham has the build and hustle required to be a good defensive player in the NBA.
The 19-year-old ranked sixth in the Big-12 in steals with 1.6 steals per game. He finished his lone season at Oklahoma State with a defensive rating of 97 and 1.7 defensive win shares.
Standing at 6-8, 220 pounds with a 7-0 wingspan, the point guard has the size to be disruptive on the defensive end of the court. His size and strength will allow the 19-year-old to defend multiple positions in the league. He could potentially hold his own in the post as well. His wingspan will allow him to disrupt passing lanes and challenge shots with ease.
Cunningham does need to improve his lateral quickness on the defensive end of the court. As he stands, the 19-year-old could struggle against the league’s quicker guards as he does not yet possess the quick-twitch defensive footwork to keep up with guards who utilize bursts of speed and shifty ball-handling to get by their opponents.
These potential struggles will improve with time and experience as Cunningham adapts to the speed and physicality of the NBA.
Detroit ranked 10th in opponents’ points per game and 16th in defensive rating last season. Cunningham’s presence on the defensive end of the court will improve Detroit’s already solid defense. As Cunningham, Stewart, and Detroit’s other young defensive playmakers continue to develop, the Pistons could become one of the league’s top defensive teams in the coming years.
Detroit Pistons: Can Detroit make the playoffs in Cade Cunningham’s first season?
The addition of Cunningham to Detroit’s roster pushes them into the next stage of their rebuild. In one regular season and what will be two offseasons, Weaver has been able to construct an extremely competitive young team with a bright future. A young core of Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, Stewart, and Hayes coupled with the veteran presence of Grant has put Detroit in a position to start competing for playoff spots.
This could easily be the main core for the Pistons moving forward. Cunningham and Grant provide an effective one-two punch, and Hayes, Bey, and Stewart will provide solid secondary play on offense and impact on the defensive end.
This season Detroit will be in pursuit of the NBA’s play-in tournament. While this core has great potential to be a top team in the NBA one day, the young players will need more time to develop in order for Detroit to truly become contenders in the future.
In all likelihood, Detroit will be competing for a play-in spot next year. If that can be accomplished, it is not inconceivable that the team possibly makes the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
Next year will not be playoffs or bust for Detroit, but the postseason is the trajectory Weaver and the Pistons hope to be on next season.
Come July 29th, the Detroit Pistons will have drafted their next franchise cornerstone. A field general who can score from all three levels of the floor, defend well, and has the potential to be a great playmaker in the league.