The Detroit Pistons' championship window isn't closing any time soon. In fact, their window is just beginning to open with the emergence of Cade Cunningham.
Cunningham is ready to lead the team to the promised land, but at some point, if he's carrying the weight on his shoulders for too long, frustrations can sink in.
Cunningham proved the team can build a title contender around him, and in doing so, he's given Trajan Langdon and the rest of the front office a reason to become aggressive to bolster their roster.
All signs point to Detroit doing their due diligence to improve their roster this offseason, but as many know, actions speak louder than words.
Detroit's holes were evident at the NBA trade deadline, and the team's decision to make marginal moves and ignore weaknesses ultimately came back to haunt them.
The Pistons have to take advantage of the star player they have at their disposal, and if they fail to put a capable roster around him that can make more noise than just clinching a No. 1 seed, they could find themselves in the same situation the Minnesota Timberwolves are in, fearing that Anthony Edwards' patience could run thin.
Pistons need to pay close attention to the T-Wolves urgency
Anthony Edwards was selected No. 1 overall in 2020, one year before Cunningham landed in the Motor City with the top pick.
Unlike Cunningham, Edwards has reached the postseason four times, led his team to the Western Conference Finals twice, and despite falling short, it's clear that Minnesota is closer to getting over the hump than the Pistons are.
Still, reports have already surfaced that the Timberwolves front office fears Edwards' frustration could lead to their star guard asking out if they fail to capitalize on his best years, and in turn, Minnesota seems to be doing everything they can to build a contender around him.
Getting involved in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, making a run at Kevin Durant, and now flirting with the idea of landing Kyrie Irving, Tim Connelly is at least trying to prove to Edwards they're serious about maximizing his talents.
The Pistons have to monitor the situation out West because it's eerily similar, and the team can't take Cunningham for granted, because if they do, it could lead to those fears creeping into Detroit.
Detroit has to prove to Cunningham they're serious
Detroit already risks rubbing Cunningham the wrong way this offseason if they mishandle Jalen Duren's contract situation, and that's only the start of what could go wrong.
The Pistons have a top 10 player in their possession, and Cunningham's First Team All-NBA nod proves that.
That said, Trajan Langdon needs to leave no stone unturned to build a capable contender around Cunningham, because if the team fails to get over the hump again next season with no signs of improvement, it's only a matter of time before their star guard reflects on his situation and career goals.
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