The Eastern Conference seemed poised to have a dearth near its top. Its last two Finals representatives, the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers, lost their star players for what seemed like the entire season. As a result, a new team would have a chance to take advantage of the power vacuum.
It was the Detroit Pistons who were able to make that happen, thanks to Cade Cunningham taking a superstar leap and emerging as a legitimate MVP candidate. Unfortunately, a major injury has sidelined him, potentially for the entire regular season, and a magical run is in serious jeopardy for the organization.
Cade Cunningham Injury Update and Playoff Return Timeline
The first overall pick in 2021, Cunningham took a while to become the superstar the Pistons had been hoping for. But last year, he earned his first All-Star nod, leading the team to a playoff berth, where they had a tough first-round series against the New York Knicks.
This year, though, he helped Detroit take a monster leap forward. With the Pistons as the No. 1 seed in the East, he is averaging 24.5 points and 9.9 assists on 46.1% shooting from the field. Add in his consistently excellent defense, and he has become one of the more complete guards in the league.
But right as the season was nearing its end, the Oklahoma State product received a shocking update. Facing the Washington Wizards, he dove for a loose ball and immediately came up with an apparent injury.
At the time, it seemed like he had suffered a blow to his back, but a stunning report revealed that he was diagnosed with a collapsed lung. The injury, likely to keep him out for at least two weeks, has put his status for the entire regular season, or even the first round of the playoffs, into jeopardy.
MORE: Kevin Garnett Argues Cade Cunningham, Jaylen Brown Should Make All-NBA 1st Team Over Luka Dončić
A re-evaluation scheduled for one week from now should give fans a clearer insight into his return timeline. But for the time being, the Pistons are optimistic that he will be ready for the start of the playoffs on April 18.
In his absence, Daniss Jenkins will be taking on a starting role. However, the blow to Cunningham also affects him from a legacy standpoint. A potential MVP candidate and an unquestionable All-NBA selection, the superstar point guard could be left out of the awards race entirely.
Sitting at 61 games played this season, he hasn’t crossed the 65-game threshold, leading to much speculation from basketball circles about a potential tweak to the rules for his exceptional case.
