NBA Analyst Remains Bullish on Detroit Pistons Player

When the Detroit Pistons maxed out Cade Cunningham this past summer, NBA fans were divided. Some felt that was the right move—locking up a former first-overall pick before he could hit the free agency market in the future.

Others felt the Pistons overpaid for a player with a lack of accolades on his resume. It’s clear Detroit is betting on Cunningham’s future. For Zach Lowe, he’s bullish on the idea that the Pistons could end up with a bargain for Cunningham, who could have multiple All-Star appearances in the future.

On a recent episode of ‘The Lowe Post,’ Lowe put Cunningham’s career All-Star appearances total odds at 2.5, and he’s taking the over. For the 29 other teams around the league, investing a max contract in a player with multiple All-Star nods is a no-brainer.

“I have never come off the Cade Cunningham bandwagon. I think Cade Cunningham is going to be an awesome NBA player.”

Only time will truly tell if the Pistons made the right decision or not. Back in 2021, Detroit won the NBA Draft Lottery, landing them the first-overall pick. Cunningham was a freshman star at Oklahoma State, and was widely regarded as the top prospect in the player pool.

When the Pistons went on the clock and submitted their pick, it was hardly shocking to see Cunningham was Detroit-bound.

As a rookie, Cunningham made 64 appearances on the court. Averaging 33 minutes as a full-time starter, the top pick produced 17 points, six rebounds, and seven assists per game. He didn’t earn Rookie of the Year honors but landed a First Team All-Rookie mention.

The sophomore campaign was highly anticipated, but Cunningham’s second season was cut short due to an injury. In 12 games, Cunningham showed improvement by averaging 20 points, six rebounds, and six assists, but the small sample size left the Pistons hungry for more.

Last season, Detroit didn’t have much to celebrate. They were the NBA’s worst team, with just 14 wins to their name. Cunningham’s statistical improvements were positive as he produced 23 points per game on 45 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent shooting from three, but the lack of help surrounding him didn’t help much with team success.

Year four will be key for Cunningham and the Pistons. A new front office called for a different roster-building vision. A new head coach created a different line of leadership. On paper, the Pistons look much improved compared to last season. Now, it’s up to Cunningham to take another step forward as he works with players suited to his style.

Maybe in the process, he’ll get one step closer to exceeding Lowe’s hypothetical bet.