No Detroit Pistons player has higher expectations next season than Cade Cunningham.
The 2021 first overall pick is coming off of a strong rookie season. He established himself as the team’s best all-around player, averaging 17.4 points, 5.6 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. He finished third overall in the Rookie of the Year race and is just the 10th player in NBA history to average at least 17 points, five assists and five rebounds as a rookie.
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With Jerami Grant now a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, the Pistons are now firmly Cunningham’s team. Despite being the youngest player on the roster last season, Cunningham gained respect as a leader from the moment he was drafted. Members of Pistons brass were impressed by how he carried himself at Oklahoma State and during pre-draft interviews. He was described as a “human connector” during his introductory press conference. Teammates praised his daily approach both on the floor and in the locker room, and he embraced being a positive media voice for the team after losses (there were many).
Pistons assistant general manager Rob Murphy joined the Free Press’ “The Pistons Pulse” podcast Tuesday and was effusive in his praise for Cunningham’s leadership. Cunningham appears to be picking up from where he left off last season.
“Some guys become leaders, and some guys are born leaders,” Murphy said. “Cade Cunningham is a born leader, he’s a connector. He does everything by example and he’s also able to communicate and teach guys on the fly as well. You have guys like Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd, Mark Jackson, some guys that when they hit the floor, guys just follow. And Cade Cunningham has been one of those guys. As good of a player that he is, he’s equally the same type of connector and leader, which bodes well for us because any time coach can have someone on the floor that can lead on the floor and get the message to the guys that guys are willing to follow, and also when you’re off the floor, he’s great at communicating and being a great teammate as well.”
General manager Troy Weaver has preached the importance of having veteran leadership on the roster, and he’s surrounded Detroit’s young players with respected veterans in Kelly Olynyk, Cory Joseph, Rodney McGruder and others. But the older voices in the locker room recognize that Cunningham needs to have the loudest voice in the room. Cunningham was often that last season.
During his end-of-season press conference, Olynyk said he had never been around a rookie who embraced being a vocal leader to the extent Cunningham did last season.
“That’s really, really tough to do and rare to see,” Olynyk said. “I haven’t been part of one or seen it, but obviously it happens. I have the utmost respect for him and his game, the way he handles himself.
“We have some vets in here who’ll talk. But really, he’s the one who has to do it. That’s going to be his job. We’re here to support everybody and give our wisdom and two cents, our view and we’ll speak when spoken, but this is Cade’s room. That’s what we need from him as a point guard, as a leader, as the future of the Detroit Pistons. That’s what he’s got to do and I think he wants to do it. The quicker he can get to that, the better.”
Cunningham’s ability to lead will be tested next season. After finishing 23-59 overall last season, the Pistons will look to take a step forward in the win column. They’ve added two highly regarded rookies in Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, and Ivey will likely have to hit the ground running to give Detroit a legitimate shot at finishing with a top-10 record in the Eastern Conference and earning a postseason bid.
Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, Isaiah Livers, Killian Hayes and others will also have to step up to fill the offensive void left behind by Grant.
“I think it’s just important to be confident in my game and not try to accommodate to him to allow him to get going,” Cunningham said of Ivey during summer league in Las Vegas. “Just encourage him to be aggressive and let him know I’m going to be aggressive too, and then we figure it out going 100 miles an hour rather than catering to each other and trying to figure each other out slowly. We’ve done pretty well in the practices that we’ve been able to play together so far, and I think with more time, I think we’re going to get better and better.”
Murphy believes Cunningham is up to the task.
“I believe he’s one of the best leaders in the NBA,” Murphy said. “I know he’s really young and he has a lot to learn. But he’s one of those guys who guys just are a magnet to, they listen to and he leads by example. We’re really fortunate to have him in our program.”