The East got a lot of notable additions this offseason, but it's important to note that only Cade Cunningham made First Team All-NBA last season of the players suiting up in the East. Normally, leading his team to a 60-win season and securing that honor would be enough to smoothen a young star's edge, but Cade and the Pistons are still being overlooked. And Cade's own dominance will soon prove why no one can ever count the Pistons out, no matter what sort of craziness is happening with his costar.
Cade Cunningham has another step to take
Despite being one of the league's very best players in the regular season - 24 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists per game - Cade was arguably even better in the playoffs. There, he averaged 28 points per game while refinding his deep ball and shooting a blistering 40% from three-point range. If Cade can bring that outside shot to his normal regular season play along with his usual excellence, he still has an even higher level to reach.
And the Pistons could very well need that from Cade, since they haven't been able to secure a star acquisition this summer. While rival teams have made big additions like LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard, Detroit has largely stood pat and trusted Cade to lead their offense. That strategy could easily backfire, but not if Cade evolves further.
Heading into next season, Cade has the same usual notes to implement about his game: improve efficiency and cut down on turnovers. Last season, he took some strides in those categories, most notably cutting down on his turnovers compared to the prior season while still raising his assists to the second-highest average in the NBA. But better ball security and more consistent shooting throughout the entire season can make Cade more effective while lifting Detroit's offense to new heights.
Cade will keep the Pistons competitive no matter what
The Pistons' biggest story of the offseason has been their contract dispute with Jalen Duren, who played second fiddle to Cade last season and averaged 20 points per game in his own right. However, a lot of Duren's offense still came off plays created by Cade in the pick-and-roll. Duren did improve his self-creation ability, but wasn't a superstar offensive engine in the same way as Cade.
The playoffs were also a drastically different story when Duren's production fell off a cliff while Cade was forced into a higher-scoring role. Cade is naturally a point guard who prefers to split his duties as a scorer and facilitator, but he had no choice when his second option dropped his own points in half. As a result, Cade stepped up and poured in even more points on tough shots.
Cade proved during last season's playoff run that he's capable of carrying his team's offense under any conditions. Even if Duren regresses significantly or even gets traded, Cade will still be the offensive centerpiece and keep the Pistons competitive enough to be dangerous. Cade is due for another big season as he fights to remind everyone why the Pistons dominated last season and why he is still arguably the best player in his conference.
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