The Detroit Pistons are rewriting the script on what a rebuild can look like-and they’re doing it at warp speed. With a 40-13 record at the All-Star break, not only are they sitting atop the Eastern Conference, but they’ve also climbed to the best record in the entire NBA.
A big reason for that? Cade Cunningham.
The former No. 1 overall pick is no longer just the future of Detroit basketball-he’s the engine driving one of the league’s most compelling success stories this season.
Let’s start with the numbers, because they’re loud. Cunningham is putting up 25.3 points and 9.6 assists a night through 47 games.
That’s not just All-Star-level production-that’s MVP-caliber impact. He leads the league in total assists and ranks in the top 20 in scoring, all while tightening up one of the biggest knocks on his game: turnovers.
After leading the league with 4.5 giveaways per game last season, he’s trimmed that number to 3.7-a meaningful drop for a player who has the ball in his hands as much as he does.
That kind of production has vaulted him into the MVP conversation alongside the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Luka Doncic. He may not be the frontrunner just yet, but he’s forcing voters to take notice. And with Detroit now holding the league’s best record-thanks in part to a recent Oklahoma City stumble-Cunningham’s case is only getting stronger.
But it’s not just about stats. It’s about winning.
And the Pistons are doing plenty of that. They’re 17-6 against teams with winning records-proof that this isn’t just a team beating up on the bottom of the standings.
They’re competing with, and beating, the league’s best. And Cunningham has been at the heart of it all.
For years, Detroit’s lack of team success made it easy for national media and award voters to overlook Cunningham’s individual brilliance. That excuse is off the table now. This team is winning, and it’s doing so with Cunningham leading both the offense and the defense.
Yes, the defense. While the NBA has tilted more and more toward high-octane offense-more threes, more free throws, more pace-Cunningham is anchoring a Pistons squad that ranks second in team defense.
He’s allowing just 43.2% shooting when guarding opponents, according to tracking data, and he’s doing it while often taking on the toughest perimeter assignments. He’s also one of the top rim-protecting guards in the league, a rare trait for a point guard and a testament to his size, instincts, and commitment on that end.
Credit head coach J.B. Bickerstaff for setting the tone defensively, but it’s Cunningham who brings it to life on the floor. He’s the guy setting the standard, and the rest of the roster is following his lead.
What makes this run even more impressive is what Cunningham hasn’t had. Unlike other young stars around the league, he hasn’t been paired with a fellow All-Star acquired via trade or free agency.
Detroit has taken a different route-building from within, trusting Cunningham to elevate the pieces around him. And he’s done exactly that.
Look at the names: Tim Hardaway Jr., Jerami Grant, Malik Beasley, Duncan Robinson, Tobias Harris, Paul Reed. Solid veterans, sure, but not exactly headline-grabbing additions.
Yet many of them are playing some of the best basketball of their careers in Detroit. That’s not a coincidence.
That’s what happens when you have a player like Cunningham who can raise both the floor and ceiling of a team.
Then there’s Jalen Duren-the first All-Star teammate Cunningham has had. Their pick-and-roll chemistry has become one of the most lethal combinations in the league.
Duren’s emergence is a story in itself, but it’s hard to separate it from the playmaking brilliance of Cunningham. He’s setting the table, and Duren is feasting.
And still, Cunningham is doing all this without the benefit of elite spacing. Detroit ranks just 21st in three-point shooting, and opposing defenses have made it their mission to double-team him at every opportunity. Yet he continues to produce, to lead, and to win.
The Pistons haven’t made splashy moves to reshape the roster-they’ve leaned into their identity. Defense, toughness, internal growth. And none of it works without Cade Cunningham at the center of it all.
Whether he takes home the MVP trophy or not, Cunningham has earned his place in the conversation. He’s changed the trajectory of a franchise and reminded the league that Detroit basketball is very much alive.
It’s time to give the man his flowers.