Early All-Star voting shows the challenge for Cade Cunningham

Cade Cunningham has been the only real bright spot for the Detroit Pistons this season.

Even though the team has only won three games, Cunningham is putting up big numbers with 23.2 points, 7.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game, numbers that might get him All-Star consideration in some seasons.

But he hasn't so far in this one, as the early fan voting for the All-Star game is in and Cade Cunningham is not in the top 10 vote-getters amongst guards in the Eastern Conference.

This was not surprising, as the Pistons have been horrible and the only attention they are getting revolves around their historic losing, not anything positive.

Cunningham has been especially great in the last 10 games, when has averaged 26.1 points, 8.0 assists and 4.2 rebounds while nearly averaging a 50/40/90 in field goal, 3-point and free-throw percentage.

But the fact that he didn't even crack the top 10 in voting shows the challenge he is up against when it comes to making the All-Star team.

Cade Cunningham is not an All-Star while the Detroit Pistons are this bad

It would be hard to make a case for Cade Cunningham against any of the players in the top six and even after that, he's debatable.

Jalen Brunson is putting up similar numbers with better overall shooting splits and is on a team bound for the playoffs.

LaMelo Ball is also on a bad team but has put up slightly better numbers and remember, this is the fan vote and he's wildly popular.

Derrick White is a stretch even though he's been very good, but shows the benefit of being on a good team. He's putting up nice numbers on the best team in the Eastern Conference.

You could say the same of Jrue Holiday, whose counting numbers aren't as good as Cade's, but he plays a key defensive role on a good team.

I think Cade has a strong argument against DeMar DeRozan, but he still gets buckets and also plays in a much larger market, so is the beneficiary of the Bulls' giant fanbase and their vote.

You could make an argument for Cade Cunningham against any of those guys but the argument ends when you remember that he's on a team that just set the NBA record for consecutive losses.

It's hard to reward a player whose team is 3-31, so whatever fringe argument Cade had goes out the window, even for the fans, who don't often apply logic to their voting.

Cade should get some recognition for his improvement, and he has, but that's not going to translate to All-Star appearances until his team isn't an embarrassment.