Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham sidelined indefinitely with collapsed lung

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham sidelined indefinitely with collapsed lung

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has been diagnosed with a collapsed lung and is expected to miss an extended period, ESPN reported.

Cunningham, who turned 23 in September, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft out of Oklahoma State University.[1][2]

In 138 career regular-season games entering the current season, he averaged 22.4 points, 7.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds.[3] This season, through 26 games, Cunningham is averaging 24.1 points, 8.6 assists and 6.1 rebounds.[3][4]

He earned All-Star selection in 2024, his second straight appearance.[5]

The injury comes after a 2023-24 season in which the Pistons finished 14-68, including a 28-game losing streak, the longest in NBA history.[6][7] The team fired coach Monty Williams after one year; he had signed a then-record six-year, $78 million contract.[8][9]

Detroit hired J.B. Bickerstaff as coach in May 2024.[10] The Pistons have posted a 13-15 record through 28 games this season, placing ninth in the Eastern Conference.[4][11]

The 2024-25 NBA playoffs are scheduled to begin April 19, 2025.[12] Cunningham's availability remains uncertain. For context, Portland's C.J. McCollum missed 25 games due to a collapsed lung sustained in February 2021.[13][14]

Sources

  1. Publisher/Organization: NBA.com
    Article/page title: Cade Cunningham
    Accessed: December 23, 2024
    https://www.nba.com/player/1630596/cade-cunningham
  2. Publisher/Organization: Basketball-Reference.com
    Article/page title: 2021 NBA Draft
    Accessed: December 23, 2024
    https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_2021.html
  3. Publisher/Organization: Basketball-Reference.com
    Article/page title: Cade Cunningham Stats
    Accessed: December 23, 2024
    https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cunnicade01.html
  4. Publisher/Organization: NBA.com
    Article/page title: Standings 2024-25
    Accessed: December 23, 2024
    https://www.nba.com/standings
  5. Publisher/Organization: NBA.com
    Article/page title: 2024 NBA All-Star Game Rosters
    Publication date: February 5, 2024
    https://www.nba.com/news/2024-nba-all-star-game-rosters-announced
  6. Publisher/Organization: NBA.com
    Article/page title: Pistons 14-68 final record
    Publication date: April 14, 2024
    https://www.nba.com/game/det-vs-bkn-0022301205/box-score
  7. Publisher/Organization: NBA.com
    Article/page title: Pistons snap 28-game losing streak
    Publication date: December 26, 2023 (streak noted Jan 19, 2024)
    https://www.nba.com/news/detroit-pistons-lose-28-straight-nba-record
  8. Publisher/Organization: ESPN
    Article/page title: Pistons fire Monty Williams after one season
    Publication date: April 17, 2024
    https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39951257/sources-pistons-fire-monty-williams-one-season
  9. Publisher/Organization: ESPN
    Article/page title: Pistons, Monty Williams agree to record deal
    Publication date: June 4, 2023
    https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/37624856/detroit-pistons-monty-williams-record-breaking-6-year-78-million-deal-sources-say
  10. Publisher/Organization: NBA.com
    Article/page title: Pistons name J.B. Bickerstaff head coach
    Publication date: May 21, 2024
    https://www.nba.com/news/jb-bickerstaff-pistons-head-coach
  11. Publisher/Organization: ESPN
    Article/page title: NBA Standings
    Accessed: December 23, 2024
    https://www.espn.com/nba/standings
  12. Publisher/Organization: NBA.com
    Article/page title: Key Dates for 2024-25 NBA Season
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    https://www.nba.com/news/key-dates-2024-25-nba-season
  13. Publisher/Organization: ESPN
    Article/page title: C.J. McCollum has collapsed lung
    Publication date: February 8, 2021
    https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30951459/cj-mccollum-collapsed-lung-collision-bulls-leroy-smith
  14. Publisher/Organization: NBA.com
    Article/page title: Trail Blazers vs Bulls Feb 7 2021 boxscore
    Publication date: February 7, 2021
    https://www.nba.com/game/por-vs-chi-0022001119/box-score

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