Cade's Burden: Why the Pistons' Playoff Hopes Still Rest Solely on One Star

Stephen A. Smith wasn't wrong when he said the Pistons don't go anywhere without Cade Cunningham. He's rarely wrong about the obvious. The man is the engine. He's the only one who consistently creates for himself and others on a roster still searching for reliable secondary scoring. Last season, Cunningham led the team with 22.7 points and 7.5 assists per game, playing 62 games, a career high. Without him on the floor, Detroit often looks lost, settling for bad shots and struggling to generate any offensive rhythm.

Think back to the 2022-23 season. Cunningham played just 12 games before his shin injury shut him down. The Pistons finished 17-65, dead last in the league. The season before, his rookie year, Detroit went 23-59. That 2021-22 team, with Cade finding his footing, still managed to beat eventual Eastern Conference champion Boston in March, a 112-111 nail-biter where Cunningham had 17 points and 6 assists. Those flashes, even in the losses, showed the potential. Without him, it’s just potential stuck in neutral.

**The Supporting Cast Needs to Step Up (Finally)**

Real talk: the Pistons' "championship aspirations" are a punchline right now. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. They haven't made the playoffs since 2019, a year they were swept by Milwaukee. Their last playoff series win was 2008. The goal for this team isn't a title; it's making the play-in tournament, maybe grabbing an 8-seed. And even that feels like a monumental task.

Last year, Jalen Duren showed real flashes of growth, averaging 13.8 points and 11.6 rebounds, but he's still figuring out how to stay out of foul trouble. Ausar Thompson's defense was phenomenal, especially early in the season when he had that 20-rebound, 5-block game against the 76ers in November. But his offensive game remains raw, shooting just 18.6% from three. Isaiah Stewart provides grit and occasional shooting, hitting 38.3% from deep last year, but he's not a primary scorer. Then there’s the whole Monty Williams situation, a reported $78 million contract that ended after one disastrous 14-68 season. That's a huge cloud hanging over the franchise.

The front office brought in players like Marcus Sasser and Troy Brown Jr. to add depth, but they aren't moving the needle significantly. Kevin Knox II played just 11 games. James Wiseman? He suited up for 13 games. Those are end-of-bench guys. The harsh truth is that this roster, as currently constructed, still relies almost entirely on Cade to create advantages. If he's having an off night, or worse, if he's injured, the Pistons look like a G-League team trying to compete in the NBA.

Here's the thing: everyone talks about the need for a "second star." The Pistons need two more reliable starters before they even think about a second star. They need someone who can consistently drop 18-20 points a night, take pressure off Cunningham, and hit open shots created by his penetration. Until that player arrives, whether through the draft or a trade, Stephen A.'s assessment stands. Cunningham's health and performance dictate everything. Without him, they're not just without championship aspirations; they're without a viable path to relevance.

My bold prediction? Even with a full, healthy season from Cade Cunningham, the Pistons will struggle to win 30 games next year.