Cade Cunningham hasn’t played since March 17, when he collided with Washington’s Tre Johnson while diving for a loose ball. What initially appeared to be back spasms turned out to be a left lung pneumothorax, a collapsed lung, and the Pistons held their breath along with their franchise cornerstone. Now the Pistons have received the news they were all waiting for.
Cade Cunningham Expected to Suit Up Against the Milwaukee Bucks
ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill reported Wednesday afternoon that Cunningham will return for Detroit’s regular-season home finale at Little Caesars Arena. This will end an 11-game absence that tested the mettle of the Eastern Conference’s top seed.
The 24-year-old point guard participated in the team’s morning shootaround and was listed as questionable on the official injury report before the upgrade. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
Cade Cunningham is expected to make his return this evening for the Detroit Pistons after missing time with an injured lung, sources tell ESPN
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) April 8, 2026
The medical staff described the injury as mild from the start, and Cunningham’s recovery has tracked ahead of schedule. He rejoined the team on the bench in street clothes last week and progressed through an on-court return-to-play protocol over the past several days.
Detroit never needed to rush him back. The Pistons clinched the No. 1 seed in the East on Saturday with a 116-93 blowout in Philadelphia, and they’ve gone 8-3 without Cunningham in the lineup.
That stretch revealed something important about this Detroit roster. Jalen Duren shouldered more offensive responsibility and responded with 23.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game on over 60% shooting.
Daniss Jenkins seized the starting point guard role and looked like a different player than the one who struggled through a midseason slump, averaging 18.6 points and 7.6 assists during Cunningham’s absence.
The defense tightened. The 3-point shooting improved. A team that had leaned heavily on its star discovered depth it didn’t know it had.
Cunningham is not expected to play heavy minutes tonight. The Pistons have nothing to gain in the standings and everything to lose if Cunningham aggravates the injury. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff has rested key players in recent games, sitting Tobias Harris, Duncan Robinson, and Caris LeVert during Monday’s loss to Orlando.
The real objective here is rust removal. Cunningham was averaging 24.5 points and 9.9 assists before the injury, numbers that placed him firmly in MVP conversations.
He played 61 games before going down, leaving him four short of the league’s 65-game threshold for postseason awards. That ship has sailed, but Cunningham’s focus has shifted entirely to April 18 and the playoff opener.
Detroit hasn’t held home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs since the 2006-07 season. The franchise hasn’t won a championship since 2004. Cunningham’s return, however brief tonight, signals that the Pistons are getting healthy at exactly the right time.
