Cade Cunningham injury: Cade Cunningham is out indefinitely for Detroit Pistons after suffering a shin stress fracture
The Detroit Pistons have been met with more bad news as they will play without rising star Cade Cunningham for an extended period. A report by The Athletic's Shams Charania revealed that he would be out indefinitely.
The Pistons have had the worst start in the NBA this season. They have won only three games in 17 outings.
During the offseason, the Pistons reiterated their commitment to rebuilding by trading arguably their best player for future picks. They traded Jerami Grant to the Portland Trail Blazers and received draft assets in return.
In an attempt to bolster their squad, they selected Jaden Ivey with the fifth overall pick in the draft. The Purdue product has been impactful during his time with the Pistons, averaging 16.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.2 assists.
Cunningham's injury dates back to last season, which is when the 2021 no. 1 pick first experienced soreness in his left shin. Although he has tried to play through it, the level of discomfort has continued to increase. In a tweet from Shams, Cunningham is exploring other options before deciding on surgery.
"Pistons guard Cade Cunningham is feared to have a stress fracture in his shin and is out indefinitely as he considers rest or surgery route that would sideline him for an extended period of time."
Pistons guard Cade Cunningham is feared to have a stress fracture in his shin and is out indefinitely as he considers rest or surgery route that would sideline him for extended period of time, sources tell me and @JLEdwardsIII.
Details at @TheAthletic: theathletic.com/3913056/2022/1…
With Cunningham out, most of the ball-handling duties will fall to Ivey. However, another youngster, Killian Hayes, has taken his spot in the starting lineup.
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How would the Pistons fare without Cade Cunningham?
The Pistons did not come into the season looking to contend for the championship. Nonetheless, their win-loss record might get a lot worse with Cade Cunningham sidelined.
Cade Cunningham has missed five games so far. In those five games, the Pistons have not recorded a single victory. It is worth noting that they have all been close games, with none being double-digit losses.
The Pistons will be looking to end their six-game losing streak when they take on the Sacramento Kings. Sacramento has been in fine form, which will make their task a tad difficult.
Winning without Cade Cunningham might be a big struggle for the Pistons. Although he is not yet a superstar in his own right, his production is a big boost for the young team.
However, finishing the campaign with the worst record might do them some good in the future. They would have a great chance of selecting one of the greatest draft prospects since LeBron James in the 2023 draft.
Drafting Victor Wembanyama might be the move the Pistons need to get back into being one of the heavy hitters in the Eastern Conference. They were dominant in the late 80s and early 2000s but have since fallen off.
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