Cade Cunningham is sidelined for the Detroit Pistons’ home matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, with the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed looking to keep up its success without its offensive engine.
The two-time All-Star is out for the foreseeable future after suffering a freak lung injury, leaving the Pistons shorthanded against a surging Lakers team riding a season-high nine-game winning streak.
Cade Cunningham’s Collapsed Lung Weakens Pistons in Lakers Clash
On Thursday, Detroit announced that Cunningham is “expected to miss an extended period of time” after sustaining a left lung pneumothorax early in Tuesday’s 130-117 road win over the Washington Wizards. The 24-year-old’s setback occurred after colliding with Wizards rookie Tre Johnson while diving for a loose ball in the first quarter.
The play that caused Cade Cunningham’s collapsed lung, and sidelined him for Monday’s Lakers clash. pic.twitter.com/SGbLu1GmEc
— StatHunter (@stat_hunter) March 23, 2026
Cunningham was initially given a re-evaluation timeline of two weeks, sidelining him for at least eight contests. However, the collapse of his lung is considered “mild,” with optimism abounding that he could return by the start of the NBA playoffs on April 18.
Still, the 2021 No. 1 pick is out of commission against LA (46-25), which has been red-hot in recent weeks behind rejuvenated team defense and sensational play from superstar guard Luka Dončić. The six-time All-Star is averaging a whopping 40.0 points per game during the Lakers’ nine-game victory run.
While Detroit’s offense has relied heavily on Cunningham throughout the season, it has boasted a respectable record in his absence, going 7-2 through nine games.
Including Tuesday’s win, in which Cunningham was limited to just five minutes, the Pistons (51-19) have won three straight contests to pad their lead atop the East, though all three matchups came against far inferior opponents.
First-time All-Star big man Jalen Duren has stepped up for Detroit, averaging 27.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game on 68.2% shooting over his last three outings. Meanwhile, sophomore guard Daniss Jenkins has averaged 15.3 points and 6.7 assists per game during that stretch.
Still, the Pistons could miss Cunningham’s well-rounded, MVP-caliber output against LA’s star-studded roster. Across 61 contests, he is averaging 24.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 9.9 assists, 1.5 steals, and 2.0 3-pointers per game, shooting 46.1%.
These numbers were bolstered by Cunningham’s 27-point, 11-assist performance on 12-for-19 shooting (63.2%) in Detroit’s 128-106 blowout road win over the Purple and Gold on Dec. 30. That marked the squads’ first of two showdowns this season, giving the Pistons a chance to sweep their season series on Monday.
Because his playing time was so brief on Tuesday, Cunningham needs to play in at least five more games to qualify for end-of-season awards, including MVP and All-NBA teams.
While Cunningham was considered a dark-horse MVP candidate before his injury, he had been gaining serious buzz for an All-NBA First Team selection, with Dončić among his primary competition.
