The Detroit Pistons must significantly improve their roster this offseason or risk pushing away Cade Cunningham. He just finished fifth in MVP voting and is about to make his second All-NBA appearance. Cade is one of the best players on the planet, but it was clear throughout the playoffs that Detroit must put more talent around him. The Pistons need a co-star, more shooting, and additional offensive punch to be a serious title contender. The time to upgrade is now.
Cade just finished the first season of a five-year max contract. He is locked in until 2030, but superstars want to win. Detroit has made the playoffs for two straight years. They were the top seed in the Eastern Conference this season, but were bounced in the second round of the playoffs. The Pistons must sort out Jalen Duren’s future and can use his low cap hold to upgrade their roster. Now is the time, and things could quickly turn ugly if they don’t.
The 24-year-old superstar keeps improving. He was fresh off an injury in the playoffs, but still averaged 28.1 points, 7.5 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 40.9 minutes per game. Cunningham is a superstar, but he can’t do it alone. The Pistons need more talent around him.
Pistons risk pushing Cade Cunningham away if changes aren’t made
Cade is in his prime and ready to win. He was outstanding in the playoffs, but the Pistons paid for failing to upgrade at the trade deadline. Everyone knew their flaws. Detroit chose a patient approach that ultimately left them disappointed.
General manager Trajan Langdon made it clear the front office plans to improve their roster (subscription required) this summer. The lead decision maker let fans know they are searching for ball-handling and shooting. He is aware of the issues, and the pressure is on to take action.
Not making improvements could start to fracture the relationship with Cunningham. He wouldn’t be the first superstar to request a trade during his rookie max extension. Cade wants to win a championship in Detroit. That is the primary goal, but it will change if the Pistons aren’t putting the right roster around him to accomplish it.
The Pistons need a co-star and must solve their spacing issues. Detroit can’t have Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren sharing the floor. They must pick a keeper and trade away the other player. It is impossible to win with two non-shooters making massive salaries in the modern NBA. Ausar is extension eligible before the Pistons play another game. He will want a massive payday, and Detroit can’t have them both occupying the dunker spot.
Decision time is now. The Pistons can’t run it back by re-signing Duren and Tobias Harris and making a minor shooting upgrade. That roster still won’t be good enough to win the East. Detroit can’t waste another season of Cade’s peak. The Pistons tried that this year. They got the evidence they were looking for. This roster isn’t it, and significant changes are necessary to compete for a title.
Winning is the only path to keeping Cade Cunningham in the Motor City for his entire career, so the pressure is on the Detroit Pistons. They have flexibility and clear needs to fill this offseason. The time is now. If they fail this summer, it could be the start of the relationship with their superstar fracturing. No franchise wants that, so hopefully, the right moves are made. If not, don’t say the warning wasn’t issued.
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