Inside the Article:
Heading into the 2022-23 NBA season, the hope was that the Detroit Pistons would take a big step forward. After all, Cade Cunningham was sure to be even better in his second year in the league, and he, along with rookies Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, and some other key pieces, was bound to be much more competitive than they were the season before. Unfortunately, that was not the case as Cunningham only played in 12 games before being forced to sit out the remainder of the season with an injury that required surgery. Now, Cunningham believes that ‘next year is the year' for the Pistons.
Key Points
- Cunningham's second season in the NBA was anticipated to be a significant improvement for the Detroit Pistons, along with the addition of rookies Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren.
- Cunningham's second year in the league was cut short due to an injury that forced him to miss the majority of the season and require surgery.
- Despite the disappointing season, Cunningham is optimistic about the Pistons' future and believes that they will make significant strides next year.
What Cade Cunningham had to say about the 2023-24 Detroit Pistons
On Monday, Cunningham spoke to reporters and he said that ‘Next year is the year' for the Pistons.
“We have a big summer ahead of us, because next year is the year for us,” said Cunningham. “It’s a huge year, a year that we need to take another step.”
Cunningham is feeling much better already following his surgery and he is happy that he made the decision to have it done.
“I mean, I couldn't be happier with my decision, knowing what I had dealt with all (that time),” Cunningham said. “And knowing now that I have something in place that's gonna protect that, and allow me to just be myself and not have to worry about my leg, it’s a blessing. I'm happy I got it done.”
Cunningham took advice from Jrue Holiday
Veteran NBA player Jrue Holiday went through the same surgery as Cunningham, and the two spoke, which made Cade feel much better.
“He really helped me understand it, and that there's gonna be days where it doesn't feel right and you feel weird about it or you're nervous about it or you might be angry at it, whatever,” Cunningham said. “But hearing that from another player that's doing so well in the NBA and had it done a while ago, I think that was huge for me.”
Bottom Line: The 2023-24 Pistons are going to look much different
Not only will the Pistons likely add one the top picks in the 2023 NBA Draft to their roster, but they will also get their best player, Cade Cunningham, back from injury. Cunningham has said that ‘next year is the year' for the Pistons, and they absolutely should be much more competitive compared to what they were this past season.
