A FanSided basketball site ranked the top 25 NBA players under the age of 25 recently. The Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham was listed, but maybe he should have ranked higher?
For the sixth year in a row the FanSided run (full disclosure, Piston Powered is also a part of FanSided) ‘The Step Back’ have created a list of the ‘Top 25 players under 25‘. They say it is created by a vote of its contributors, based on the value of each player.
Of course, the Pistons’ Cade Cunningham is listed. The former No. 1 overall pick, who finished third in Rookie of the Year voting this past season, ended up in 10th place. Is that a reasonable placement? Here is the entire list:
There it is, the whole list. Keep letting us know what we got right and wrong. https://t.co/pzHJl0JzZz pic.twitter.com/9GvOk8IHsV
— The Step Back (@The_Step_Back) October 7, 2022
Making the top 10 is certainly a nice honor, but should Cade Cunningham have been even higher? One could argue that the 6-foot-7 guard might be good enough to finish as high as 4th or 5th. And we will.
The case for Cade Cunningham to be ranked higher in under-25 list
To say Cade, at this point in his career, should be considered a better player then Ja Morant, Luka Doncic or Jayson Tatum would be kind of crazy, even for a Pistons-centric site.
But there is a case to be made, in terms of value, which is what The Step Back said is the basis for voting, that Cunningham could be ranked above the fourth through ninth selections.
If you would like to read the article on Cade Cunningham being named 10th, you can go here.
But let’s have some fun and break down why Cade Cunningham is more valuable than the 4th thru 9th ranked players under-25:
Cade Cunningham is better …
than No. 9 Deandre Ayton because he is a clutch player while Ayton disappeared in Game 7 of the West semifinals. His team also did not want to give Ayton a max contract, something Cunningham will certainly be offered when eligible.
than No. 8 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander because Cunningham would never be traded as a mere part of a package of picks and players, as SGA was as part of the Paul George deal by the Clippers. Also, how do you rate a player who has not played more than 56 games in a season for three years over Cade? When the Pistons season went south, Cunningham helped lead them to wins late in the season, but Gilgeous-Alexander sat while the Thunder tanked.
than No. 7 Anthony Edwards because Cunningham plays defense while Edwards is not so hot at that. Cunningham is also the No. 1 scoring option on his team, while Edwards is No. 2 to Karl-Anthony Towns and, sometimes, third when D’Angelo Russell is looking to score.
than No. 6 LaMelo Ball because Cunningham is a better shooter and defender. Yes, Ball is an incredible passer, but when does Charlotte clear the floor for him to go 1-on-1 to win the game? He has nice stats, but Cunningham is a more complete scorer.
than No. 5 Zion Williamson because of durability and overall offensive skill set. What’s the saying? The most important ability is availability. Williamson missed all of last season with an injury and in three seasons in the NBA has played a total of 85 games. He is also not the outside shooter that Cunningham is.
than No. 4 Trae Young because of defense. Young is terrible on the defensive end (only Ben Simmons is scared to shoot on him) and the Hawks mainly try to hide him on defense. He can shoot and pass very well on offense but that is just 50-percent of the game. Cunningham is a stand out on both ends of the floor.
Now, they is certainly plenty to debate about the rankings, and the editors of Tge Step Back encourage feedback, so you can hop on their Twitter account or their articles and comment. That is part of the fun.
If you disagree with the above opinion of Cunningham as a player, that is fine. It will all shake out when the season starts anyhow.