The Detroit Pistons may have improved this offseason but the theme remains the same: They are only going to go as far as Cade Cunningham takes them.
It’s not hyperbole to say Cunningham is by far the team’s most important player and that a leap into stardom will be necessary if this team wants to be good in the near future.
The Pistons staked that future on Cunningham when they gave him a max extension this summer, a leap of faith for a player who has yet to play 65 games in a season.
Staying healthy and playing more than 64 games is crucial for Cunnigham next season, and if he does, all signs point to him being an All-Star.
There are three key reasons why next season is Cunningham’s breakout year and his first as an All-Star.
#1: Cade Cunningham’s post All-Star game stats are a preview
Cunningham struggled early last season with efficiency and turnovers, which is to be expected when your team is in the midst of a 28-game losing streak.
Both Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks were hurt, the Pistons had zero spacing, with Cunningham basically one on three in a phone booth.
Even with the challenges of the Pistons’ awful roster construction, Cunningham still improved as the season went on, posting 24.4 points, 7.6 assists and 4.9 rebounds on 45.5 percent shooting from the field and 39.6 percent from long range on over six attempts per game after the All-Star break.
He reduced his turnovers to 3.1 per game, which is not bad considering his usage (and the fact he was double-teamed on nearly every play in the half court) showing the ability to read and break down a defense while scoring from all three levels.
Cunningham has room to improve, especially his shooting consistency around the rim, where he shot only 54 percent on shots under five feet. Considering he was getting nearly six of these per game, a boost in that percentage will translate into another 4-5 points per game, as well as more fouls drawn.
Cade was very good from 10 feet out, but has to improve from the free-throw line in and should with improved spacing and more weapons around him.