Detroit is going to give the keys to the offense to No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham and let him learn on the job.
But that plan took a slight detour when Cunningham tweaked his ankle. The initial report last Friday — via Rod Beard of the Detroit News — made it sound like nothing and that Cunningham would play in the team’s preseason opener Oct. 6 (Wednesday).
#Pistons Dwane Casey says Cade Cunningham has a turned ankle, but it's "very mild.
— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) October 1, 2021
Turns out it’s a little more serious than that, and the Pistons are understandably being cautious. Cunningham has yet to come back to practice and it’s not clear when he will.
#Pistons Dwane Casey says there's no timeline on Cade Cunningham's return from his ankle injury.
— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) October 4, 2021
#Pistons Dwane Casey on Cade Cunningahm's ankle: "There's not a timeline right now, so they're just being cautious with it, is what the medical people are saying. So, I'm going with their (word)."
— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) October 4, 2021
Cade has done light shooting drills and the #Pistons open preseason Wednesday.
Ankles are easy to re-injure and make worse if not fully healed when a player returns, so the Pistons are wise to be cautious with Cunningham. They don’t want this to linger, and these are just preseason games.
Cunningham averaged 18.7 points a game and shot 50% from 3 in his three Summer League games, hitting seven threes in one game there. Cunningham showed flashes in Las Vegas of why he was the No. 1 overall pick, but the style of play there — a glorified pickup game with primarily non-NBA level players — did not suit his game.
It just will be a little longer before we see him in actual NBA action.