The Detroit Pistons provided a new medical update on Cade Cunningham on Thursday, announcing that the All-Star guard “continues to progress in his return to play process” and will be reevaluated in one week as he recovers from a collapsed left lung.
That update gives Detroit a positive sign on Cunningham’s recovery, but it also confirms the franchise star will remain sidelined for at least a little longer. The Pistons first announced on March 19 that Cunningham had suffered a left lung pneumothorax, or collapsed lung, and said at that time he would be reevaluated in two weeks.
The team did not provide a firm return date in Thursday’s statement. Instead, Detroit said Cunningham is working through his return under the supervision of physicians as well as the Pistons’ medical and performance staff. That language suggests steady progress, but it stops short of offering any clear indication that he is close to resuming basketball activity or contact work.
Before Thursday’s update, ESPN had reported optimism that Cunningham’s recovery could allow him to resume basketball work in stages ahead of the postseason. According to that earlier reporting, the hope was that he could heal enough to begin non-contact activity first, then move toward contact work before the playoffs. Thursday’s announcement did not confirm whether that same timeline still holds, so the next update will likely matter a great deal for Detroit’s playoff outlook.
What is not in doubt is how important Cunningham has been to the Pistons this season. He is averaging 24.5 points, 9.9 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game during a breakout campaign that helped push Detroit to the top of the Eastern Conference. Yahoo Sports noted he ranks second in the NBA in assists behind Nikola Jokić, while the Associated Press reported that only eight players in league history have finished a season averaging at least 24.5 points and 9.9 assists.
Cunningham’s absence also has award implications. Because he has played 61 games and is now set to miss at least one more week, he will fall below the NBA’s 65-game minimum for major postseason awards. That means he will not be eligible for honors such as All-NBA consideration or MVP voting, even though he had built a strong case to appear on both ballots before the injury.
Detroit, though, has kept moving without him. The Associated Press reported Thursday that the Pistons have already clinched the Central Division and hold a four-game lead over Boston for the top seed in the East with six regular-season games remaining. The club’s ability to stay afloat while Cunningham recovers has helped protect its postseason position, even as the focus remains on getting him healthy for the games that matter most.
The biggest question now is timing. The NBA playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 18 or 19, which gives Cunningham a narrow window to return if next week’s reevaluation goes well. Detroit does not need him back for a regular-season headline. It needs him back ready, fully cleared, and in condition to lead a playoff run. Thursday’s update did not answer whether that outcome is on track, but it did leave the door open.
For now, the Pistons got the part of the update they wanted most. Cade Cunningham is progressing. Whether that progress is enough to get him back before the postseason begins is the next major question hanging over one of the NBA’s best teams.