Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes proving to be a great fit
Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes will be an elite defensive backcourt
Possibly the most exciting development of the Cade Cunningham/Killian Hayes pairing is their potential on defense.
Both guys have plus size and are strong for guards, so they can defend up, which gives Troy Weaver a lot more options when it comes to building a roster around them. He can potentially take a risk on a smaller guard who can score (Collin Sexton perhaps?) knowing that Cade and Killian can defend multiple spots other than just point guard.
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The two have a 104.7 defensive rating together, which isn’t spectacular but is middle of the pack for two-man lineups that have played at least 300 minutes together. They are the best two-man defensive lineup the Pistons have and also lead the team in offensive rating among duos who have played more than 300 minutes together.
Considering their respective ages, this is pretty exciting, as it shows a duo that has the potential to be elite defensively and above average offensively, something the Pistons have not had in a backcourt in a very long time.
The concerns about Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes are diminishing and the young backcourt now looks like the foundation of the rebuild.
Next. Cade Cunningham is a lot closer to rookie Luka Doncic than you might think. dark