Year after year, Cade Cunningham is proving himself as an All-NBA talent but the Pistons are still struggling to bring in a true costar for him. The situation is starting to get reminiscent of Jimmy Butler's days in Miami, when the Heat consistently struck out on stars and asked Butler to carry a roster full of supporting pieces to deep playoff runs. If the Pistons aren't careful, Cade could end up with the same ringless fate as Butler.
Jimmy Butler knows Cade Cunningham's pain all too well
From 2019 to 2025, Butler was the face of the Heat franchise and led the team to 2 separate Finals appearances, one in 2020 and one in 2023. But Butler never got the offensive costar he needed to win a title there, even as the Heat were constantly involved in rumors for big stars such as Damian Lillard, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo (who they finally acquired after Butler left).
It's still early for Cade, but he's headed towards the same trajectory. The comparison will be even more true if Cade doesn't see a lot of improvement from his All-Star second option in Jalen Duren going forward. It's also worth noting that Duren technically hasn't even re-signed with the team yet.
In Miami, Butler had an All-Star teammate of his own in Bam Adebayo. But Adebayo was known for his defensive work and only averaged 20 points at best alongside Butler. That wasn't enough offensive firepower to win a championship, even if Butler was able to get the Heat out of the East with superhuman playoff performances.
Last season, Cade got a taste of the same high demands in the postseason. He had to elevate his scoring tremendously just for the Pistons to win a first-round series while his teammates provided little reliable support. If the Pistons want to learn from last year's playoffs, they should look to the Heat's example as evidence that one star can't win a title alone. Cade needs another star to help him on offense or else the Pistons could break down.
The Pistons can still shift course for Cade
When Butler arrived in Miami, he was already 30 years old; Cade still has another 5 years to go before reaching that milestone. So the Pistons have some time to turn things around and find him more offensive help. Truth be told, they probably need a third option at the caliber of Duren's regular season play on top of a better second option.
Like the Heat once had, the Pistons also have strong coaching and defense. Adebayo anchored a versatile defensive squad in Miami and Ausar Thompson now does the samee for Detroit. But Thompson himself also needs to provide more help on offense.
If the Pistons' young stars can't give Cade the offensive help he needs, they need to find it externally. That's a step the Heat never took successfully to support Butler, but the Pistons can correct that mistake with their own superstar.
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