The Detroit Pistons hit the lottery in the offseason. They were given the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and the chance t draft Cade Cunningham. The Oklahoma State product was viewed as a can’t-miss prospect but it was clear that he would not turn the team around right away.
The Pistons entered the season as a work-in-progress and we are seeing that as the team is just 4-22 to begin. Cunningham missed the beginning of the season but has returned and played 21 games to this point.
He joined Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart, who were selected to All-Rookie teams a season ago. Now, the Pistons have a core to rely on and it is beginning to look promising in the backcourt.
Cunningham has started all 21 games he has played in. He is averaging 15.8 points per game, which is second behind Jerami Grant. He is adding 6.2 rebounds and a team-high 4.6 assists per night. Cunningham has started next to Killian Hayes, who is a former lottery pick of the Detroit Pistons from 2020.
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Hayes missed much of his rookie campaign due to an injury but has returned and is beginning to play on a consistent basis.
Hayes has not become much of a scorer yet, with just 6.3 points per game, but is not turning the ball over much and is fading his shooting stroke. Together, the Pistons have a core to rely on.
Detroit has been featured in NBA trade rumors with Grant because of his contract situation and their direction. He is currently in the second year of a three-year deal that he signed with the Pistons. This would give Detroit a big return because of the value that he brings.
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This is what a rebuilding team like Detroit should look to bring in. Now, the difficulty might come with having players buy in. When a team does not win right away, it might be difficult to keep young players on board. This is why the Detroit Pistons should focus on putting the right players around their backcourt that can help them compete.
This is going to be a long road for a team that has won just four times in 23 games this season. When they look at the roster on paper, the front office can at least be happy with Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes in the backcourt.
