Cade Cunningham’s latest award confirms what Pistons fans already knew

Cade Cunningham has been named the NBA Player of the Month for February after averaging 25.4 points, 9.9 assists and 6.5 rebounds, while shooting 47.2% from field goal range and 37.3% from beyond the arc.

Not only did the former No. 1 overall pick lead the Pistons to a 9-2 record during his standout stretch over the past month, but he proved exactly what Detroit fans knew all along: Cade Cunningham will keep the Pistons in the mix for years to come.

Cade Cunningham will be a force in the East

There's no doubt that the Pistons have the youth on their side, especially with the emergence of Jalen Duren throughout this season.

Ausar Thompson's recent stretch adds to the list of young talent the team is excited about.

Cunningham, though, is the exact type of cornerstone player that nearly every team in the league needs in order to take the next step.

As a rookie, you could tell the Oklahoma State product had the ideal mixture of confidence and talent that would set him up perfectly to be a key piece in Detroit for years to come.

Still, the rate at which he improved and the caliber player he's developed into has far exceeded the player Detroit fans expected him to become.

With a crafty offensive game, defensive versatility and a gift to serve as a true leader, as long as Cunningham is in Detroit, the Pistons will be in the mix for years to come.

The league has been put on notice

Detroit's rise to the top of the Eastern Conference this season is only the start to how dangerous the Pistons can be moving forward.

As mentioned above, Cunningham is the type of talent that will not only lead the team to wins, but will attract other talented players to the Motor City, whether that's in free agency or the trade market.

With the second NBA Player of the Month award for Cunningham coming this season, it's clear the star guard is finally putting it all together and the league is finally taking notice of his production on J.B. Bickerstaff's squad.

It's clear the Pistons move as Cunningham moves and if he continues to elevate the players around him, he'll have similar impacts to the likes of LeBron James, Jayson Tatum and Nikola Jokic to name a few.

This award for Cunningham is only another notice that teams around the league should pay attention to.