Detroit Pistons

Cade Cunningham thinks the Rookie of the Year award is his to lose, but it's secondary to the goals he's trying to accomplish on a team level. 

"If I can get the NBA Rookie of the Year trophy, obviously I’d love to have it. I was the No. 1 pick. That award is something that is mine to go get," Cunningham told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. "I’m definitely going to attack the game. I’m definitely going to do what I do. But regardless, it’s a trophy. So I feel what I could build in that locker room is going to mean a lot more to me and worth a lot more than whatever hardware I can get. That’s just an individual award."

Cunningham opened as the +250 favorite to win Rookie of the Year at FanDuel Sportsbook. Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green, the second pick in the 2021 draft, is the second favorite at +270.

Cunningham and Green will have ample opportunity to put up gaudy stats given that both are playing for two of the worst teams in basketball. The Pistons and Rockets are mortal locks to contend for the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft, which makes Cunningham's comment on culture all the more important.

Detroit's roster is packed with young players, most of whom have had success on every level. Finding a way to deal with losses—of which there will be many—in a healthy way will be paramount to building a long-term foundation.

The Pistons will need Cunningham to step into a starring role and potentially keep his fellow young guys in check during rough stretches. Winning basketball isn't coming to Detroit this season, but the chemistry-building that will eventually lead to it needs to start in earnest. 

The Detroit Pistons announced Friday team legend Ben Wallace will rejoin the organization as a basketball operations and team engagement adviser.

Wallace will assist general manager Troy Weaver and head coach Dwane Casey while also serving as a "mentor and development asset" for Pistons players.

"Ben is a Hall of Famer and a Pistons legend who has continued to come back home and support our team and our organization," team governor Tom Gores said. "He embodies everything we are building here and will be a real asset to Dwane, Troy and the rest of our staff. Ben helped set the standard for what it means to be a Piston and will be a tremendous influence for our young players."

Wallace is one of the best defensive players in NBA history. He was voted the NBA Defensive Player of the Year four times and earned five NBA All-Defensive first-team selections and one second-team nod.

All of those accolades came during his first stint with the Pistons from 2000 through 2006, a run that included helping lead the franchise to the 2004 NBA championship. He also played for the team from 2009 through 2012 to finish his career.

Wallace, whose No. 3 was retired by the Pistons in 2016, was inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September.

Before the ceremony last month, the 47-year-old Alabama native told Rod Beard of the Detroit News he felt defense-first NBA players still needed to receive more recognition.

"It's time for people to start recognizing the defensive end of the floor," Wallace said. "Defensive guys put in a lot of work and they don't get a lot of credit, but they keep showing up, keep shining, and they keep holding their teams together and providing wins."

Few players in history proved that point better than Wallace, who was one of the league's most impactful players at his peak despite averaging just 5.7 points across 1,088 career games. He twice led the league in rebounding and once in blocked shots. Wallace also played for the Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Making his story more impressive is the fact the Division II product out of Virginia Union built his resume while playing as an undrafted and undersized big at 6'9''.

Wallace's new role with the Pistons will also include engaging on "select organizational business initiatives and community efforts."

Detroit begins the 2021-22 season Oct. 20 when it hosts the Chicago Bulls.

Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey told reporters Monday that rookie guard Cade Cunningham doesn't have a timetable for his return from an ankle injury.   

Rod Beard of the Detroit News reported last week that Cunningham suffered a "mild ankle injury" during training camp. 

"Healthwise, just like any other training camp, you're going to have nicks and bruises and turned ankles, but nothing is at all serious—zero," Casey said Friday. "Cade has a turned ankle. It's very mild, but we're going to be cautious, just to make sure that he recovers before next week."

Cunningham was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft. He has joined a young and rebuilding Pistons team that will look to him to bring the team back to the playoffs.

Cunningham's one year at Oklahoma State ended with him being named a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award, given annually to the best men's and women's college basketball players. He was also named a first-team All-American.

During his collegiate season, Cunningham sat out a Jan. 23 contest versus Baylor and a Jan. 25 matchup against Iowa State because of COVID-19 protocols. He was present on the sideline for both games but did not play.

Cunningham also suffered a sprained left ankle after he accidentally stepped on Baylor (now Sacramento Kings) guard Davion Mitchell's foot while dribbling up the court in the final minute of his team's road game at the Bears on March 4.

The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly "a serious contender" to add DeAndre Jordan, assuming the Detroit Pistons buy out the remainder of the center's contract.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the news Friday, tweeting: "Again, Pistons plan is to negotiate a contract buyout with the DeAndre Jordan and allow him to become a free agent, sources tell ESPN. In that scenario, the Lakers will be a serious contender, sources tell ESPN."

Per Wojnarowski, the Brooklyn Nets dealt Jordan to the Pistons with four draft picks and cash for Jahlil Okafor and Sekou Doumbouya:

Nets send Pistons their own 2022 and 2027 second-round picks, a 2024 second-rounder via Wizards and a 2025 second via Warriors, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 3, 2021

The 33-year-old Jordan averaged 7.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in 21.9 minutes per game last season.

Adding Jordan would continue the Lakers' trend of acquiring older veterans on one-year deals.

Of note, Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, Wayne Ellington, Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo joined the team on one-year contracts this year. The roster includes 10 players who are at least 32 years old.

Jordan would join a packed center depth chart that already includes Howard and Marc Gasol. Anthony Davis could also play at the 5.

Playing time would be hard to come by for Jordan barring injury, but he'd join a potential title contender. The Lakers are looking to reclaim the championship they won in 2019-20 after falling in the first round of the playoffs last season.

This year's team features a host of veterans surrounding the Big Three of Davis, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook. It remains to be seen how these pieces will mesh, but the ceiling is high for the talented and experienced roster.

The Lakers will start the 2021-22 campaign Oct. 19 at home against the Golden State Warriors.

The Detroit Pistons enter the 2021-22 NBA season with plenty of promise and few expectations. 

Instead, this is meant to be a growth year, as a rebuilding club finally has enough young talent to begin developing a legitimate championship core for the first time since winning the title in 2004. 

That starts with No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham, an otherworldly athlete out of Oklahoma State who looked like the top pick in the draft when he stepped foot on campus and spent the rest of last year proving it. In 27 games with the Cowboys, the Texas native averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 43.8 percent from the floor and 40 percent from behind the arc. 

Along with Josh Jackson, Saddiq Bey, Killian Hayes and Jerami Grant, the Pistons have the makings of a threat to win the Central Division in the not-too-distant future. 

Here's a look at who they'll face in 2021-22 as Detroit's rebuild takes off in earnest. 

       

2021-22 Piston Schedule Details

Season Opener: vs. Chicago Bulls on Oct. 20 (Home)

Championship Odds: +25000 (FanDuel)

Schedule: NBA.com

       

Top Matchups

Chicago Bulls: First Game on Oct. 20

The two longtime rivals find themselves at different stages of their rebuilds and chasing the Milwaukee Bucks atop the Central Division. The Bulls appear a much more likely challenger to the Bucks' division throne, but Oct. 20's matchup will show just how far the talent gap is between Chicago and Detroit. 

For the Bulls, it's not only a chance for a more experienced roster to beat up on a developing club, but anything less than that could also help set the tone for the reignition of one of the NBA's more dormant rivalries. 

Chicago reloaded this offseason by adding Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso around Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic. With second-year pro Patrick Williams continuing his rapid growth—and hometown rookie Ayo Dosunmu likely to make a depth impact—it's a perfect measuring stick game for the Pistons to see which areas they still need to address moving forward. 

The Bulls' and Pistons' contention windows look ready to overlap a bit considering how each club built their rosters. This season series should just be the first taste of that.

After Chicago swept the three-game season series in 2020-21, the Pistons have a lot of ground to make up. 

Most importantly, if Cunningham is serious about bringing back the "Bad Boys" mentality in Detroit, there's no better opponent to prove it against. 

      

Houston Rockets: First Game on Nov. 10 (Road)

The Detroit Pistons had their choice of any player in the NBA draft in July. They chose to pass on Jalen Green, but the Houston Rockets did not. 

Nov. 10's matchup between the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks won't only provide momentary vindication for the victor, but it may also end up being a temporary referendum on the routes each respective player took to the NBA. While Cunningham spent the last year playing NCAA ball, Green opted for the NBA G-League, becoming one of the most high-profile prospects to bypass the college route in decades and the first to sign with an NBA G League Ignite program that paid him $500,000 for the year

Green averaged 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists playing against more established talent. 

Fair or not, Green and Cunningham will be measured against each other throughout their careers for their draft position as much as their development tracks. This should be just the first of many matchups between the two.

All of them should be rather fascinating to watch, with the two stars likely to guard each other in the backcourt. 

       

Season Forecast

Pistons fans have every reason to be excited this season, but they'll want to make sure to focus more on the highs than the lows in Cunningham's rookie season. Just because he's as highly touted as they come doesn't mean he's ready to carry the franchise to the postseason just yet. 

A good outcome for Detroit would be a berth in the play-in tournament that gets Cunningham, Bey and Hayes a taste of the postseason.

As long as every player stays healthy, there aren't too many worst-case scenarios. If the team continues to struggle to find wins, falling back into the lottery wouldn't be the worst thing. In fact, it could end up helping the team long-term depending on what the 2022 draft class looks like.

While Hayes, Bey and Cunningham are a solid start, there's no question the Pistons will need to add more talent around them. Getting a top pick and turning it into another potential core member might make all the difference in a few years. 

The Pistons haven't finished above .500 since 2015-16 (44-38). They haven't advanced past the first round of the postseason since 2007-09, when they lost the conference finals to the Boston Celtics. And they haven't won the Central since that year either. 

Those streaks may not end in 2021-22—certainly not as long as the defending NBA champion Bucks command the division—but the long-term future of Detroit basketball hasn't looked this bright in more than a decade. 

Record Prediction: 22-60

    

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Hamidou Diallo isn't going anywhere.

The young guard and the Detroit Pistons agreed to a two-year, $10.4 million contract on Thursday, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

It isn't a surprise the Pistons are invested in Diallo. They traded Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and a future second-round pick to acquire him ahead of the 2020-21 trade deadline, and general manager Troy Weaver expressed a desire to keep him around after the season:

"I told him a lot of players don't get this opportunity to take the bull by the horn. He has that chance now to come in and really turn his career into a huge positive. He's been teetering up and down in OKC, injuries here, the different construct of the team. Now he's here with a young group. Hopefully we can get him, talk to him and continue him with the group."

The Kentucky product, 23, never quite carved out a consistent role for himself with the Oklahoma City Thunder in his first three seasons. But he found a rhythm for Detroit, especially late in the year, averaging 21.0 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in the team's final four contests.

A small sample size, for sure, but perhaps an indication of Diallo's potential in a more consistent role. So it's hardly a surprise the team is sticking with him going forward.

Before Darko Milicic became one of the most famous draft busts in NBA history, the Detroit Pistons were apparently preparing to select Carmelo Anthony with the No. 2 pick in 2003. 

Appearing on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson (starts at 20-second mark), Anthony said the Pistons "promised" to take him "all the way up 'til draft day."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT35gu4DGwM?start=19

Anthony went on to say that he thinks the Pistons would have won another championship had they drafted him. 

The 2003 draft will go down as one of the greatest in NBA history, as four of the top five picks are bound to become Hall of Famers. Anthony and LeBron James (No. 1 overall) are still playing.

Chris Bosh (No. 4 overall pick) has already been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Dwyane Wade (No. 5 overall pick) will likely be voted in during his first year of eligibility in 2023. 

Milicic is the only player among the top five picks from that class who didn't pan out in the NBA. The Serbian big man did carve out a 10-year career with six different teams, but he never averaged more than 8.0 points or 6.1 rebounds per game in a single season. 

The Pistons won an NBA title in Milicic's rookie season, though he barely played at all that year. He averaged 4.7 minutes per game during the 2003-04 regular season and played garbage-time minutes in playoff blowouts. 

Anthony has yet to play in the NBA Finals in his storied career. The 10-time All-Star has only reached the conference finals once, during the 2008-09 season with the Denver Nuggets.

Detroit had an incredible run of success from 2002-08, with six straight appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pistons played in back-to-back NBA Finals in 2004 and 2005, including beating the Los Angeles Lakers to win the title in 2004. 

Anthony is teaming up with James in Los Angeles this season with the hope of getting the Lakers back to the NBA Finals.     

No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham put on the first of what the Detroit Pistons hope will be many monster performances against the New York Knicks, dropping 24 points in a 93-87 victory at the Las Vegas Summer League. 

It was unquestionably Cunningham's best performance of the exhibition slate. The Oklahoma State product went 8-of-14 shooting from the field with seven rebounds, three assists and one block while hitting seven three-pointers, many in catch-and-shoot situations. He did it all in 28 minutes. 

Cade from the corner 💰

Cade Cunningham knocks down his 7th triple of the night on NBA TV! #NBASummer pic.twitter.com/NxfNuiCaRj

— NBA (@NBA) August 14, 2021

Another catch-and-shoot 3. https://t.co/yBzH7bVzvo

— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) August 14, 2021

In his previous two Summer League games, Cunningham scored 20 points and 12 points, respectively. He's already showing noticeable improvement as he begins to settle in with his new team. 

That helped the Pistons race out to a 20-6 lead in the first quarter, but New York quickly battled back thanks to a game-high 31-point outing from sophomore Obi Toppin, who put on a statement game himself. 

11 straight points for Obi 🔥 pic.twitter.com/IZZ74PFx13

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) August 14, 2021

Toppin went 13-of-20 from the field with nine rebounds as Immanuel Quickly added 15 points and nine assists. 

Detroit guard Killian Hayes was more than able to match his counterpart, however, finishing with seven points, six assists, five rebounds and a numbed of jaw-dropping moments.

Killian makes it look so easy! 🤯@iam_killian | @WynnBET | @_Beyyy15 pic.twitter.com/lAzidvtEAk

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) August 14, 2021

Extra sauce on the Killian stepback. 🍝 @iam_killian | @WynnBET pic.twitter.com/HK6FvWgmpM

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) August 14, 2021

🔥 That @SabenLee ➡️ @_Beyyy15 connection is different. 🔥#NoBrakes | @WynnBET pic.twitter.com/51oisUTf9B

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) August 14, 2021

Cunningham, Hayes & Co. will get another opportunity to continue building chemistry on Saturday night against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Thomas & Mack Center as the Summer League rolls on. At the rate the duo continues to improve, these are becoming must-watch games for Pistons fans who want a glimpse at the team's future. 

The Detroit Pistons got a first glimpse of their future as Cade Cunningham made his debut in the NBA Summer League on Sunday.

Detroit lost 76-72 to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and Cunningham won't be headed to the Hall of Fame off the back of just one summer league game. He finished with 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting while adding six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. He also totaled five turnovers.

The 6'8" playmaker got off to a strong start, hitting a pair of three-pointers in the first quarter.

CADE FROM DEEP 👀

(via @NBATV)https://t.co/BFAZFSePND

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 9, 2021

Beyond the obvious reasons, summer league may not be a great showcase for Cunningham because so much of his game stems from getting his teammates involved. Building continuity is difficult for a team that's just coming together, and one that will be different from the roster the Pistons are throwing out on opening night.

Cade's biggest gift is his passing ability not scoring...With all due respect, In the regular season, he'll be playing with guys that catch and finish those dimes

— LeVelle Moton (@LeVelleMoton) August 9, 2021

Praising a player's effort level can sometimes be damning with faint praise. In the case of Cunningham, it's a solid indicator of what fans can expect as he works through the issues that are inevitable for any first-year star.

It's been mixed results for Cade Cunningham offensively so far, but the biggest thing that's stood out so far is that he plays really hard.

— Nate Duncan (@NateDuncanNBA) August 9, 2021

He started a one-man fast break in the third quarter after picking the pocket of Tre Mann.

Cade Cunningham shows some bounce on this fast break 💥 #NBASummer https://t.co/juyXVdAqU7

— NBA TV (@NBATV) August 9, 2021

That's 2️⃣ much sauce. 🔥@CadeCunningham_ | @WynnBET pic.twitter.com/WI8UvcvXRY

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) August 9, 2021

Cunningham wasn't the only notable Pistons rookie in action as Luka Garza made his Detroit debut.

Second-round picks generally don't find a ton of success in the NBA, but Garza was a two-time first-team All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year at Iowa.

The 6'11" big man was noticeably slimmer from the 265 pounds he was listed at in his final year with the Hawkeyes.

holy hell Luka Garza looks like a totally different dude out there

— Jason Patt (@Bulls_Jay) August 9, 2021

Garza made a nice first impression in his 12:59 on the floor, putting up nine points and four rebounds.

Luka Garza is playing with a high-motor. The physical development is evident and he’s got five early points, including 2/2 from the field and one three-pointer. Once again, looks much smoother on his feet, still early, but looks great nonetheless.

— Jake (@jakeweingarten) August 9, 2021

#Pistons Luka Garza has been pretty good defensively.

— Rod Beard (@ajcRodBeard) August 9, 2021

Cunningham, Garza and the Pistons will be back on the court Tuesday against the Houston Rockets in what might be the most anticipated matchup of the summer league. Jalen Green, the No. 2 pick in the draft, put up 23 points and five rebounds as Houston beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 84-76 on Sunday.

No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham signed his rookie deal with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, though financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

RealGM previously estimated Cunningham would earn $8.1 million as a rookie, $8.5 million in his sophomore season and $8.9 million in his third option year. His fourth-year team option would be a 26.1 percent increase over his third-year salary.

That may look like a small price to pay if Cunningham is able to live up to his billing. 

While at Oklahoma State, the 6'8", 220-pound star averaged 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 26 starts. He's expected to anchor a Pistons rebuild that began to speed up once the club landed the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft lottery. 

That made Cunningham the team's first No. 1 overall pick since Bob Lanier in 1970. The Texas native arrives in Michigan with a young core featuring Killian Hayes, Saddiq Bey and Jerami Grant ready to develop around him. 

Detroit has made the postseason just twice since 2009. After going 20-52 in 2020-21, expectations in the Motor City will rise rapidly. Now that Cunningham has signed his rookie deal, he can focus strictly on basketball with the Summer League is underway.