“In basketball, it’s never been this hard for me to win games.”
Those words embodied the frustrations of Pistons star Cade Cunningham back in 2024 when he spoke with former NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski on his podcast, The Woj Pod.
Cunningham’s young squad had just endured a brutal two-month stretch in which they lost 28 games in a row. They lost 65 games the prior season and went on to lose 68 that year. To say the future of Detroit basketball looked grim would be an understatement.
Two years since Cunningham asserted those words, his team has secured the No. 1 seed in the East. The Pistons have amassed 60 wins, more than they had in the first three seasons of the Cade Cunningham era combined. The stunning turnaround has come as a surprise to many, but Cunningham believed the tides would eventually turn.
From the outside looking in, it may appear as though the turnaround came out of nowhere. But the secrets to their best regular season since 2006 are far more nuanced than an overnight bout of luck.
Pistons’ Leadership Moves
The foundation of any successful organization begins in the front office. Following their disappointing 2024 season, the Pistons hired new President of Basketball Operations, Trajan Langdon. Langdon was responsible for parting ways with then-coach Monty Williams, bringing along former Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff to replace him.
The team went 108-56 (regular season record) in the two seasons since he was brought in.
Coach Bickerstaff credits Langdon as an integral factor in choosing to accept the coaching gig in Detroit.
“I don’t know if even Trajan knows this,” Bickerstaff said, “but he was a major part of the selling point for the job.”
“His personality. His character. His thought process and logic. The plan that he had in place about where to go and how he wanted to get there – that was the most important thing to me.”
Not only was Langdon’s vision for the franchise’s future essential in swaying Bickerstaff, but so was his determination to foster connections outside of basketball.
“And then his want to have a genuine relationship with me beyond basketball and be a true partner in building this thing,” Bickerstaff added of Langdon’s pitch.
Following Bickerstaff’s hiring, he earned the trust and respect of his top players. Jalen Duren and Cunningham highlight his presence as the driving force behind the energy in the team.
“(He) has established a culture,” Duren said. “He established an expectation for how he wanted us to play, and what he wanted the team to look like… When he came in as a proven coach, he fit the characteristics of the guys in the locker room, first and foremost. And from there it just kind of took off.”
Assembling the Supporting Cast
Langdon prioritized making sure that Cunningham was surrounded by the right pieces to complement his game. Notable acquisitions that Langdon secured include 3-and-D player Tim Hardaway Jr. (now a Denver Nugget), veteran Tobias Harris and sharpshooter Duncan Robinson.
Cunningham has specifically praised Harris for being a high example of what a professional looks like.
“For one, I mean, he’s just a class act more than anything,” Cunningham praised . “The way he carries himself. His professionalism. The way he takes care of his body, goes about his work, is an inspiration to all the young guys.”
Having a 15-year vet alongside him has offered a calm, steady presence in a locker room full of young players.
“Obviously, he has a ton of playoff experience and winning experience. So when he came in, I think that was the biggest thing for us was just having somebody on the floor with us all the time that brought so much experience and so much poise in big games…”
The leadership from the other guys helped hold the fort down when their star player missed time. Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung on March 17 against the Wizards, forcing him to miss 11 games.
Harris knew the team needed to kick it up another gear to ensure they didn’t skip a beat.
“We didn’t take the backseat mentality,” he explained. “I was like, let’s go show everybody we can ball. Let’s go show everybody what our style is made of. We continued to preach it every day.”
Finding Ways to Win
The supporting cast’s play in the absence of Cunningham helped the Pistons maintain the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The team went 8-3 without him, with two of those losses coming in overtime.
Jalen Duren averaged 22 points and 10.4 rebounds, while guard Daniss Jenkins averaged 18.9 points to go with 7.6 assists.
Duren has been one of the league’s top finishers at the rim this season in terms of points added, ranking third in the NBA.
The Pistons have thrived this season because of their ability to play both sides of the ball. They rank in the top 10 in both defensive and offensive rating, second and ninth, respectively.
They were third in field goal percentage, and led the NBA in steals and blocks. Their proficiency on defense can be heavily attributed to defensive standout Ausar Thompson, who led the league in steals.
Moreover, they are first in the league in turnovers forced and opponent three-point percentage. Against the Pistons, opponents shoot 34.5% from beyond the arc and average 16.9 times turnovers.
The team’s three-point shooting has been particularly essential in pulling out games without Cunningham. They shot 38.3% in the 11 games without him. What’s more is that in those eight Detroit victories, they went 41% from three, compared to 33% in their three losses.
There is no replacement for Cunningham’s production, but the team relied on the entire committee to hang on without him. In a playoff setting, others will need to step up to help the 24-year-old.
The Knicks went full throttle at Cunningham last postseason, aggressively guarding him and forcing others to beat them. If that series was any indication of the pressure Cunningham can expect this playoffs, he will need all the help he can get.
Off-Court Relationship Building
The franchise’s revival is a testament to not just their talent but the strong chemistry within the locker room. The same characteristic that attracted Bickerstaff to the Pistons — Langdon’s commitment to developing relationships — has trickled down to his players.
Pistons guard Caris LeVert described the team’s close-knit bond as similar to that of an AAU team. Through the dog days of an NBA season, the group spends ample time together away from the hardwood.
“This is probably the closest team I’ve been on off the court. The guys just hanging out and kicking it, and so I think that translates to the court as well,” LeVert said.
“Obviously, we do a lot of things together, so the stuff that we do off the court just translates like a family, you know? It’s not always perfect, and guys get into it sometimes, but we all have a common goal, and we have respect for each other to know what we’re trying to do.”
The goal LeVert refers to is the coveted Larry O’Brien, which ESPN gives them the seventh-best odds to attain. To reach the NBA pinnacle, they will need their head of the snake at his best: Cunningham.
Cade Cunningham’s Trust in the Organization
Perhaps the largest reason why the Pistons have far exceeded expectations is because of MotorCade, as the city affectionately calls him. Cunningham’s belief in the organization to figure things out — even in the toughest of times — facilitated the Pistons’ overhaul in the summer of 2024.
Months after he spoke to Woj about the uncertain state of the franchise, he affirmed his unwavering commitment by re-signing with them. He stood steadfast in his belief in the franchise’s future through the darkest moments when he had every reason not to. He never deflected blame or pointed fingers.
His loyalty and dedication showed Pistons owner Tom Gores just the kind of person and player he is.
“What I saw in Cade is not something you just see on the court. He embraced the adversity; he didn’t put it on anybody else. He took his own accountability,” he said.
“Part of the reason I didn’t blink is he didn’t blink. He didn’t start like, ‘Oh, geez, Detroit.’ He was all in.”
Cade’s Basketball Production
On the court, his stellar performance has fans ecstatic that the NBA deemed him eligible for postseason awards. He played in only 64 games this season, one shy of the minimum required to qualify. However, after the NBPA and NBA agreed that Cunningham’s lung collapse fell under “extraordinary circumstances,” they overturned the initial ruling of ineligibility. Before his lung collapse, Cunningham was among the top of the MVP race.
The two-time All-Star put up 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds 9.9 assists per game, a near double double, on 46.1% from the field. His 9.9 assists rank second in the NBA. He has also taken on the challenge of being a two-way player, stepping up defensively. His ability to make plays, defend, and score makes him a versatile threat to any opponent.
Cunningham boasted the second highest net rating this season (minimum 30 minutes a game), only behind reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He also led Detroit to a 27-15 record in clutch games, the fourth-highest win percentage among all 30 teams.
When the schedule got difficult, the Pistons showed why they’re at the top of the league. Against the 10 toughest opponents, the Pistons were first in net rating, going 17-7 against those teams.
The young group has proven they’re ready for redemption from last year’s early playoff exit. And they’ve shown every reason to believe that last season was just the beginning.
Building Towards Bigger Goals
Cunningham and the Pistons have come a long way since his conversation with Woj. He no longer drives home from games ruminating over his team’s struggles to win one game. After weathering a losing stretch, which he called “one of the most humbling experiences of my life,” he now finds his squad facing a new challenge. This time, however, it is one he is thrilled to take on.
The Pistons are excited to build off of last year’s surprise postseason appearance. They are slated to play their first playoff game of the season on April 19, against the yet-to-be-determined winner of the eighth seed. Detroit will have homecourt advantage the entirety of the Eastern Conference playoffs, something that hasn’t happened in two decades.
They have a few days to bask in the jubilation of the history they made this season before getting back to work. They can enjoy this moment for now and reminisce on all the blood, sweat, and tears it took to reach a point that seemed unfathomable two years ago. Still, the team isn’t satisfied with what they’ve accomplished.
As Cunningham put it, “It’s been a great regular season; now it’s time for the real fun.”
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