Cade Cunningham Isn't the Pistons' Only Hope – Far From It

Stephen A. Smith went on ESPN recently, doing what Stephen A. does, and declared the Detroit Pistons' title hopes are dead without Cade Cunningham. He said, and I quote, "their aspirations go nowhere without Cade Cunningham." Look, I respect the man's passion, but that's just a simplistic take on a deeply flawed roster. Cunningham is a good player, maybe even a very good one. But he’s not a magic bullet, and frankly, the Pistons have bigger fish to fry than whether one player can carry them to a championship they weren't sniffin' anyway.

Let's be real. The Pistons finished the 2023-24 season with a dismal 14-68 record. That's the worst in the NBA, and tied for the third-worst in franchise history. Cunningham played 62 games, averaging 22.7 points and 7.5 assists. Those are solid numbers for a young guard. He even shot a career-high 35.5% from three-point range. But even with Cunningham on the floor, the Pistons were a bad basketball team. Their offensive rating was 110.1, 24th in the league. Their defensive rating was 119.5, dead last. One player, even a future All-Star, can't fix that kind of systemic failure overnight.

The problem in Detroit runs deeper than just who’s holding the ball. The roster construction has been baffling for years. They've drafted high, sure, but the pieces haven't fit. Jaden Ivey, taken fifth overall in 2022, showed flashes but struggled with consistency, shooting just 35.4% from deep. Isaiah Stewart, signed to a four-year, $60 million extension last summer, is a hustle player but limited offensively. Ausar Thompson, the fifth pick in last year's draft, is a defensive stopper but can’t shoot. His 18.6% from three is a serious red flag in today’s NBA. You can't just throw a bunch of high lottery picks together and expect them to gel into a contender, especially when many of them have overlapping skill sets or glaring weaknesses.

General Manager Troy Weaver has been at the helm since 2020. In his tenure, the Pistons have won 20, 23, 17, and 14 games. That’s a steady decline, not a trajectory towards contention. Cunningham is the cornerstone, they hope, but what's around him? The team needs more than just another high draft pick this summer. They need veteran leadership, consistent shooting, and a coach who can actually implement a cohesive system on both ends of the floor. Dwane Casey's run, followed by Monty Williams's struggles, speaks to a bigger organizational issue than just the talent on the court. Williams, signed to a six-year, $78.5 million deal last offseason, couldn't get this group to play coherent basketball.

Here's my hot take: Stephen A. is wrong. Cunningham isn't the sole key to Detroit's championship "aspirations" because those aspirations were never realistic in the first place with this current setup. They're years away, not a Cunningham injury away, from even sniffing the playoffs. Detroit needs a complete overhaul of their front office philosophy, not just another good player. My bold prediction? Even if Cunningham plays all 82 games next season and puts up All-NBA numbers, the Pistons still won't win more than 25 games.