Cade Cunningham Excited to Battle LeBron’s Sixers in the East
Cade Cunningham knows that the Detroit Pistons have become one of the most underrated teams in basketball.
Despite pretty much going coast to coast in leading and ending the season with the best record in the Eastern Conference (60-22), everyone has forgotten about the Pistons. A lot of that has to do with the fact that the Pistons were eliminated in the second round by the Cleveland Cavaliers, but much of it is due to the offseason noise caused by other teams in the conference.
The Philadelphia 76ers have emerged as everyone’s new favorite team in the Eastern Conference after adding LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat have reloaded with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo as the new face of the franchise.
Cunningham had one of the best seasons of any player last year, finishing fifth in MVP voting. In fact, he was arguably the league’s leading MVP candidate before he was limited to just 64 games due to a collapsed lung. The 24-year-old star averaged 23.9 points and a career-high 9.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game last season. His assists per game ranked second in the league.
As Cunningham prepares for his sixth season in the NBA, he talked about his objectives for this year, what it’ll take for the Pistons to get over the hump and the new James-led 76ers.
Interview with Cade Cunningham
Q: You guys are coming off of an amazing season. Obviously, you’re aiming to win a championship, but it was an amazing season. Thoughts on your recent season, and how can you guys improve moving forward?
Cunningham: I thought last season was a great step for us. We really improved, first in the East, going to the second round, seven games in both. It was two grind-it-out playoff matchups. So it was a great year for us, furthest that I’ve ever been in my career. But I’m excited. To have another opportunity to possibly go further and grow is exciting, and we all feel that way, the whole team. We’re all looking forward to next season.
Q: It was the first franchise playoff series win since 2008. Obviously you guys want to win a championship. The Knicks did so this past year, Eastern Conference looks a lot different than it did last season. Nobody’s really talking about the Pistons. You guys had the best season of any Eastern Conference team. Does that kind of put a chip on your shoulder moving forward because everybody’s talking about these other Eastern Conference teams?
Cunningham: Yeah, it’s definitely fuel. It’s interesting. Take note, and makes you work harder for sure.
Q: You guys look a little bit different than you did last season. You made some moves. Obviously, Tobias Harris is not there anymore, but John Collins, Isaiah Joe. Have you talked to these new guys and thoughts on these new moves?
Cunningham: Excited about all those guys. They’re all high-IQ players, guys that can shoot the ball; all that stuff is needed for us, so we’re excited to have them. We talked a little bit. I was just in the gym, one of the guys that we just added, so it’s fun. I’m excited about this season. I think we got a lot of noise to make, and especially people doubting us, like I said, it just adds more fuel to everything.
Q: You averaged 10 assists per game this past season. Fifth in MVP voting. I guess my question to you is: Is that a thought in your head that you want to win MVP heading into next season? Or is it primarily just team-based, getting as far as possible and winning a championship?
Cunningham: If they both can happen at the same time, then that’s what I’m going for. But at the end of the day, if I win and I go get a Finals, that’s what the goal is right now. So I think my success will lead to success like that. But if me playing in a way that doesn’t result in stats and stuff to get MVP voting and it allows us to win games, that’s what I’m gonna go for.
Q: Your game has grown exponentially over the past couple seasons. How do you get better heading into this upcoming season? Is there a specific area?
Cunningham: Same thing, there’s so many areas that can grow. Basketball is such a fluid game, as far as there’s so many situations that you’re in. So to be better in all those situations, the different aspects of the game — inches can win games. So I’m looking into everything. I want to get better at everything. I focus on things on certain days, but I try to think about the game as a whole versus just one side of it, or just certain skills.
Q: Do you think that’s one of the answers right there in going deeper in the playoffs? Is just finding that offensive game more consistently in the playoffs when things get really tight?
Cunningham: Yeah, you see it. Teams that can do that, they’re hard to beat. Especially when both defenses are locked down, it’s hard to score. The team that can put the ball, find ways to still put the ball in the rim, it’s important.
Q: The Eastern Conference looks very different now. You have LeBron and Jaylen Brown going to the Sixers, Giannis to the Heat. Your overall thoughts on those moves and the difference in how the Eastern Conference power structure looks now.
Cunningham: I like it, it’s fun. It’s fun for the game. They’re gonna be tough to beat. Obviously, they got all that talent over there, guys that play both ends of the ball, they’re gonna be tough to beat. But that’s the exciting part about it is the competition. I love the competition. LeBron’s in the East again, it’s good for everybody.
Q: Were you kind of surprised about that LeBron move to the Sixers? What was your reaction to that?
Cunningham: Yeah, I mean, it’s just funny to see LeBron. It’s just crazy to see that. You know, obviously he’s blockbuster, so that’s good, him coming back to the East. I’m excited.
Q: Obviously, you’re a heck of a competitor. But you’re looking very forward to matching up against LeBron, Jaylen Brown with the Sixers, right?
Cunningham: Yeah, we get to see him. Let’s do it.
Q: How long have you been partnered with Thorne, and what kind of makes them stand out compared to maybe other brands?
Cunningham: Well, this is a new partnership, but I mean they’re top of the line. There’s something that immediately, whenever I got to being a professional, was the supplement and the company that was immediately recommended to me, and to be able to five years later now be partnering up with them and having to deal with them is so fun for me.
Q: How does Thorne help you with your recovery and routine?
Cunningham: It just gives everything that you need (with) electrolytes, and they’re a brand that you don’t have to worry about. The ingredients are special. A lot of things, they say what’s in there, things break down to different chemicals, and people get in trouble for stuff like that. To have something that you can trust, and you know the ingredients are good, and it gets you everything you need to be at the highest performance to be an NBA athlete. In my case, it’s great.