The Detroit Pistons failed to address their ball-handling and playmaking concerns behind Cade Cunningham this offseason. They were the number one seed in the East, but were bounced in the second round of the playoffs because of their lack of offensive weapons behind Cunningham. The Pistons' second-leading playoff scorer is gone. Detroit added Isaiah Joe and John Collins, but neither of them is a ball-handler or playmaker.
The front office thought that adding shooting would be enough. Collins and Joe both shot over 40 percent from 3-point range last season, but they combined to produce 2.3 assists per game. Other than Cade, no Pistons player averaged more than 3.1 assists each night in the playoffs. Teams will sell out to stop Cunningham, and Detroit doesn’t have a counter.
The Pistons drafted Ebuka Okorie with the 17th overall pick, but rookie guards rarely impact winning in the NBA. Detroit may be forced to give him a role, but they can’t expect too much. Cunningham will need to create everything in the biggest moments just like last season.
Pistons failed to address ball-handling and playmaking issues around Cade Cunningham
Cunningham had a usage percentage of 31.5 in the playoffs, which was the fifth-highest in the NBA among players who played more than two games. He was forced to do all the heavy offensive lifting with Jalen Duren struggling.
Cade’s efficiency plummeted in the fourth quarter as his usage went up to 34.7. He shot just 41.0 percent from the field and 34.6 percent on his 3-pointers when the Pistons needed him most. They were asking too much, and it came back to bite Detroit. The Pistons barely escaped the first round in seven games before being upset by the Cavaliers in round two.
Cunningham is one of the best players in the world, but he can’t do it all. He had a 29.6 usage percentage during the regular season, which was 17th in the NBA.
For the Pistons to need five more percent in the highest-leverage moments of playoff games is just too much.
Jalen Brunson’s usage was slightly higher, but the Knicks weren’t asking much of JB on the defensive end and have a second star in Karl-Anthony Towns. Fans know Detroit wins with elite defense and don't have anyone to match KAT, which makes Cunningham’s burden significantly higher.
Pistons baffling offseason doomed Cade Cunningham
Fans wanted the Pistons to add a co-star because this was their shot. They are still sorting out Jalen Duren’s new contract and will have to extend Ausar Thompson if they want to keep him. Their roster is about to get a lot more expensive. This was their chance to add a core piece, but the Pistons decided to make moves on the margins.
Their failure to add a ball-handler and playmaker was baffling. Even a backup guard like Miles McBride, TJ McConnell, or Cason Wallace would do wonders for Detroit. They can’t seriously expect a teenage rookie to play that role on a title-contending roster. Okorie just won’t be ready, but the Pistons have nobody else.
They may be hoping for an Ausar ball-handling leap, but his lack of shooting makes that unlikely. Teams know Thompson wants to pass, which limits his production.
The Detroit Pistons doomed Cade Cunningham to face the exact ball-handling and playmaking problems he dealt with in the 2026 playoffs. The superstar had to do everything, which wore him down late in the most important games. Instead of solving that issue, the Pistons left their second-leading scorer walk and added some shooting.
It was a baffling offseason that is on track to waste another year of Cade’s prime. The Pistons could swing a trade before the deadline, but the faith in the front office is running thin. They didn’t address their biggest need this summer, and it may never happen.
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