Cade’s return to Pistons is expected in 5-7 days
The Detroit Pistons announced Friday afternoon Cade Cunningham has been cleared to resume basketball activities from his left knee strain, and is expected to return in 5-7 days.
Cunningham has missed the past five games since suffering the injury in the first half Jan. 7 in Denver, and will miss the next two games vs. Milwaukee on Saturday and Monday. He could return to competition Wednesday vs. Charlotte or Saturday vs. Washington.
Cunningham played in the Pistons’ first 36 games this season before the injury, with the team going 3-33. They have since gone 1-4 in his absence, finishing the first half of the season 4-37 and on pace for eight wins, which would be the worst record in NBA history by one game. The Pistons already set the singleseason
NBA record with 28 consecutive losses, despite Cunningham playing in every one.
Cunningham, 22, sat out most of last season after undergoing left shin surgery, playing in just 12 games. He’s averaging 22.8 points and 7.2 assists this season on 44.9% shooting overall, 33.5% from 3-point range and 87% on free throws.
Jaden Ivey has seen a large increase in his usage with Cunningham sidelined, taking between 17 and 22 shots each of the past five games, and scoring a season-high 32 points (13-for-22 shooting) in Wednesday’s loss to Minnesota. He previously had taken at least 17 shots once all season.
Cunningham’s impending return puts pressure on coach Monty Williams to figure out how to best utilize his two lead guards, after he failed to do so in the season’s first 41 games. He acknowledged last week he hadn’t given Ivey enough on-ball opportunities, saying an organizational meeting pushed him to give the ball to Ivey.
“I had to eat it,” Williams said last Friday after a loss to Houston. “I was like, ‘Well, I haven’t done it, and I’ve gotta at least give him a shot.’ I fell into it tonight and kinda kicked myself for not doing it earlier.”
The Pistons made a minor trade while Cunningham has been out, on Sunday dealing away Isaiah Livers, Marvin Bagley III and two second-round picks to Washington for Mike Muscala and Danilo Gallinari. The move opens up even more cap flexibility next summer.