Kendrick Perkins had no trouble going big after Cade Cunningham’s latest masterpiece.
The ESPN analyst used Cunningham’s 52-point explosion on Thursday night to make one of his boldest comparisons yet on “First Take,” putting the Detroit Pistons star in the same breath as LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
“Here’s the thing, Cade Cunningham is a top 10 player in the NBA. If Luka and LeBron James had a baby, you’ll get Cade Cunningham,” Perkins said with a straight face on “First Take.”
He doubled down on the idea, adding, “He’s the closest thing to those guys when it comes to his size and being at that point guard position, or point forward, that can get buckets, rebounds, and assists,” he said.
The timing was hard to ignore. Cunningham had just delivered a historic performance in a 144-140 double-overtime win over the Washington Wizards, becoming the first player since the league began tracking turnovers in 1977-78 to post at least 50 points and 10 assists with zero turnovers in a game. Washington got huge scoring from three players, who combined for 97 points, but Cunningham’s night still stood out as the headline.
Perkins’ praise fits the way Cunningham has been rising into the league’s top tier. He was already in the MVP conversation last season alongside Doncic and others, and this year he’s pushing that case even further. The Pistons’ No. 1 pick in 2021 has now earned back-to-back All-Star selections in 2025 and 2026, and he’s on track for a third straight nod while averaging 25 points, 7.9 assists, and 5.2 rebounds on 48.5% shooting.
Detroit’s record also shows how much Cunningham has lifted the group. After finishing first in the Eastern Conference last season, the Pistons are still in the mix this year at 8-3, sitting behind the Philadelphia 76ers at 10-3 and the Boston Celtics at 10-2.
Still, Perkins wasn’t ready to pretend Cunningham can do it all by himself. Along with the LeBron-Doncic comparison, he pointed to Detroit’s playoff concerns and said the Pistons need more than one star if they want to get through the East and reach the NBA Finals.
“It’s about when they get to the playoffs, do they have enough offensive firepower to get through the Eastern Conference?” he asked.
Perkins also said “Jalen Duren folded like clean sheets” in the postseason and noted that the Pistons have since lost Tobias Harris. In his view, that leaves even more on Cunningham’s plate, and he said the young star looked “exhausted” trying to carry the team in the NBA Playoffs.
In Other News...
Pistons May Have Found The Backcourt Spark They Were Missing
The Pistons have spent plenty of time searching for another backcourt piece to ease the load on Cade Cunningham, and Daniss Jenkins is making a strong case that he belongs in that conversation. Since stepping into Jaden Iveys spot, Jenkins has shown a more polished offensive game, with his shooting and playmaking both trending in the right direction as Detroit looks for more stability around its lead guard.
What makes the stretch so interesting is how quickly Jenkins has started to matter in real games, not just in theory. He has put together a run of 20-plus-point performances and given the Pistons a different kind of perimeter threat at a time when Jalen Durens injury has already forced the offense to adjust. If Jenkins keeps this up, Detroit may have found a much-needed spark in a place it has been trying to upgrade for a while. [Read more 🡒]
Daniss Jenkins Is Giving The Pistons A New Contract Dilemma
Daniss Jenkins has quietly turned into one of the more interesting pieces on the Pistons roster, and not just because he is starting. At a time when Detroit is trying to sort out its long-term core, Jenkins has given the team useful production across the board, averaging 13.5 points, 4.7 assists and 3.8 rebounds while hitting 44 percent from three-point range.
The contract part is where things get tricky. Jenkins is only the 11th highest paid player on the roster at $4 million this season, a figure that even trails rookie Ebuka Okorie, which makes him look like one of the leagues better bargains. With restricted free agency looming after the season, the Pistons may soon have to decide how much value they place on keeping a player who has outperformed his salary and earned a bigger role. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Are Surviving Jalen Durens Absence In An Unexpected Way
Jalen Durens absence has forced the Pistons to get creative in the middle, and the usual answer on the glass has not been there. With undersized centers John Collins and Paul Reed handling those minutes, Detroit has taken a hit in rebounding, but the bigger picture has stayed surprisingly steady because the rest of the lineup has adapted around the loss.
Ausar Thompson has helped cover some of that ground with strong work on the boards, while the ball has also been safer in Detroits hands. Fewer turnovers and a lineup built more around ball handling have given JB Bickerstaff a way to manage possessions better, and that has helped the Pistons keep winning even as one of their most important big men remains out. [Read more 🡒]