The Detroit Pistons finally have a superstar in Cade Cunningham, who was ranked 16th overall in The Ringer’s most recent top 100.
There are plenty of arguments to be had, especially in the top 10, where Tyrese Haliburton, Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson all leapfrogged Jayson Tatum, which I'm sure Celtics fans will take calmly and rationally.
Haliburton’s spot was buoyed by a run to the Finals, so Cunningham being 16th even after making the All-NBA team seems fair.
Some believe Cunningham is a top 10 player now and I would not debate that stance, but 16th is not an insult.
The Pistons only had one other player in the top 100, Jalen Duren, who came in at 97th. Again, a lot to debate here with Ausar Thompson and Isaiah Stewart being left off, especially when you see some of the names that did make it, but every player on this list has an argument and I am certainly biased.
The Pistons only having two representatives shows a problem but also huge opportunities that they have in front of them.
The Detroit Pistons don’t have a second star
It won’t be true forever, but as of right now, the Pistons don’t have a proven second star behind Cade Cunningham.
The two Finals teams both have a superstar but also have that second guy behind him (more in OKC’s case) to go along with quality depth and impactful role players.
The Pistons have some of that formula ,and depending on the development of Ausar Thompson, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, may already have the rest of the ingredients in house, which is why they’ll likely be patient this summer as they continue to evaluate.
The Pistons may not have their second star yet, but the good news is that he may already be on the team.
Ausar Thompson, Jaden Ivey and Isaiah Stewart
The great news for the Pistons is that Jalen Duren isn’t even their second-best player but was still featured in the top 100 over a trio of other guys.
It’s easy to imagine all three of Thompson, Ivey and Stewart being on this list at this time next year, especially the first two guys, who are poised to make big leaps. Ivey was already showing that potential before getting hurt, and had he played a whole season, would almost certainly have cracked these rankings.
Ausar Thompson will enjoy his first full offseason and training camp, so won’t be playing catch-up all season, so it’s easy to see him making the type of leap that would get him near his twin brother Amen in the rankings. The Rocket’s Thompson Twin came in at 41.
The question is whether any of these guys can make the leap to top 30 or even top 20 players at some point in their careers, but it’s also fair to ask if they need to, as having a deep team that has 4-5 players in the top 100 might be the path in the new tax reality.
You can’t take these rankings too seriously, but they do reflect the challenges and opportunities the Pistons have in front of them.