Vincent Goodwill: One of the questions that I posed to Cade Cunningham, and I don’t know if it made the final cut, so maybe this whole thing can be repurposed, but I asked him like, “Hey, you’re not happy being one of the most improved guys in the league.” He said, he’s like, “It’s not beneath me, but I consider myself somebody who should be in the conversation for MVP.”
More on Cade Cunningham
NBA Communications: Other nominees … West: Deni Avdija and Jrue Holiday (POR), Devin Booker (PHX), Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves (LAL), and Alperen Sengun (HOU). East: Jaylen Brown (BOS), Cade Cunningham (DET), Josh Giddey (CHI), Jalen Johnson (ATL) and Ryan Rollins (MIL). Twitter | Nov. 3, 2025
Last summer, Bickerstaff challenged his star to prepare for more physicality from defenses, almost predicting what the start of this season would look like. Defenses have indeed trapped Cunningham often throughout the first week of the season, and the intensity has increased. (Cunningham now sports a welt underneath his right eye, courtesy of being whacked by one of the Celtics’ big men in a comeback win in the Pistons’ home opener.) “Efficiency” has become Cunningham’s next goal, according to Bickerstaff. “The Carmelo Anthonys, the Kevin Durants of the world, you got moves quick enough [that] the double teams can’t get to — because in playoff situations you’re going to see more crowds, more double teams.”ESPN | Oct. 28, 2025
Up and down the roster, all agree without conflict on the hierarchy, with Cunningham at the top. “It is a heavy burden, and it’s a burden that you don’t get days off from,” Bickerstaff told ESPN. “When you are that guy, you don’t get to take days off. Because every single day, everybody around you is watching.”ESPN | Oct. 28, 2025
He and his teammates are close in age. He’s a few months older than Jaden Ivey, a few months younger than the longest-tenured Piston, Isaiah Stewart, and two years older than Duren and Thompson. “We had a [team] event, and the next day was his birthday,” Tobias Harris, Detroit’s oldest player at 33, told ESPN. “I asked him how old he was turning and he said 24. In my mind, I thought he was 28. He’s just so mature, and it translates to on the floor with his leadership. He’s got that dog, that competitive spirit, but he’s also really about it — about the work.”ESPN | Oct. 28, 2025
The Pistons have invested big into Cunningham, going far beyond the rookie-scale max extension (five years, $269 million) he agreed to in summer 2024. For team owner Tom Gores, the qualities he saw in Cunningham during the organization’s record losing streak in 2023-24 only reinforced that decision. “When we were at our lowest, the man didn’t blink,” Gores told ESPN. “He continued to work, continued to pat his players on the back. That’s when I knew this guy’s character was something special. “You learn the most from anyone in life during the tough times. The way I saw him functioning, [behaving] when things were emotional, what he did when we were down.” ESPN | Oct. 28, 2025
The Detroit Pistons have downgraded Cade Cunningham (left hip contusion and right facial contusion) to probable for Monday’s game against Cleveland. Caris LeVert (left hamstring injury recovery) and Marcus Sasser (right hip impingement) are questionable. HoopsHype | Oct. 27, 2025
Keith Langlois: FINAL: Pistons 119, Celtics 113 Got a little woolly, but Pistons win their home opener and go to 2-1. Tremendous games from Ausar Thompson (21 and 12 and 3 huge late offensive boards) and Jalen Duren (24 and 17). Cade Cunningham 25/3/8. Duren hit 12 of 13 FTs, Thompson 7 of 8. Bluesky | Oct. 26, 2025
Omari Sankofa II: Asked Cade Cunningham about dealing with double teams: “I just don’t feel like I’ve handled it the way I want to. I’m gonna keep watching the film and try to be better for my team. I feel like we had a lot of empty offensive possessions because I just didn’t handle the hots correctly.” Bluesky | Oct. 26, 2025
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Cade Cunningham: I should be in the conversation for MVP
