The Detroit Pistons were hit with a nightmare scenario following the recent news of star Cade Cunningham suffering a collapsed lung that would sideline him indefinitely.
As of now, there's no time table for Cunningham's potential return, but until an update is given, all indications suggest Detroit will be without their MVP candidate for the foreseeable future.
There's no way to look at this news and find a positive, but the harsh reality of life in the NBA is that teams are forced to pivot on a nightly basis, especially when injuries derail original game plans.
For Detroit, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff will be tasked to find a winning recipe that allows for the team to continue the success that got them to this point of the season.
The Pistons' supporting cast has been given a prime opportunity to prove that they can rise to the occasion, and given the need for that to happen even with Cunningham healthy, this approaching stretch could quietly have major implications on the team's postseason outlook.
Pistons need more from their supporting cast
There's no doubt that general manager Trajan Langdon put the work in this offseason to bolster the team's depth chart in hopes of making a postseason push,
Signing the Duncan Robinson and Caris LeVert gave Detroit an offensive punch off the bench, and the acquisition of Kevin Huerter ahead of the NBA trade deadline only added to that punch.
Not to mention, Tobias Harris is already considered one of the best veterans a team could ask for to help fill out their supporting cast.
Still, the Pistons haven't gotten the consistent contributions from the supporting cast they hoped for when assembling this roster, and that's been an ongoing issue throughout the entire season.
With the injury to Cunningham and ongoing issues for big man Isaiah Stewart, there's no time like the present for the supporting cast to step up, and if they're able to, Detroit will become more dangerous than they already are when the playoffs come around.
Detroit has another level to reach
Assuming Cunnigham is able to return to the lineup at some point this season, Detroit would become an extremely hard team to beat in a seven-game series, especially if their supporting cast can finally get things going.
Detroit is already an extremely versatile defensive team with great discipline, but their potential as an offensive unit hasn't even scratched the surface and that's saying a lot considering their dominance this season.
The Pistons have all the tools, and while the setback for Cunningham is unfortunate, there's a silver lining that Detroit has to be willing to find.