Photo: Peter Baba

Cade Cunningham took an active role in the Detroit Pistons’ offseason recruiting efforts, but the franchise ultimately came up empty in its pursuit of several marquee names. According to Vincent Goodwill, Cunningham was “very much involved” in trying to recruit Austin Reaves, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving to Detroit, though none of those pursuits resulted in an agreement.

The report underscores Cunningham’s growing influence within the organization following a breakout 2025-26 campaign in which he established himself as one of the NBA’s premier guards. Detroit’s front office has instead shifted its focus toward internal development after a season that saw the team finish with the league’s best record in the Eastern Conference at 60-22.

Cunningham earned All-NBA First Team honors while finishing fifth in MVP voting after averaging 23.9 points, 9.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds across 64 games. He also shot 46.1% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range while leading an offense that transformed the Pistons into legitimate contenders.

Detroit’s core made significant strides throughout the regular season. Jalen Duren was selected to the All-NBA Third Team after averaging 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and shooting 65.0% from the field in 70 games. Ausar Thompson developed into one of the league’s elite defenders, finishing third in Defensive Player of the Year voting while earning First Team All-Defense after averaging 2.0 steals per game.

Despite claiming the Eastern Conference’s top seed, Detroit’s postseason ended in disappointment. The Pistons rallied from a 2-1 series deficit to eliminate the Orlando Magic in seven games before falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers in another seven-game series.

Without landing another superstar, the Pistons have continued reshaping the roster around Cunningham through targeted additions rather than blockbuster signings. Detroit agreed to acquire John Collins on a three-year, $51 million contract while allowing veteran forward Tobias Harris to depart in free agency for the San Antonio Spurs. The club also retained Duncan Robinson, whose 41.0% three-point shooting remains an important floor-spacing element alongside Cunningham.

The front office was also aggressive during the NBA Draft, trading up from No. 21 to No. 17 to select Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie. Detroit later added defensive-minded forward Ugonna Onyenso in the second round.

One significant piece of business remains unresolved. Duren and the Pistons have yet to reach an agreement on a long-term extension, with reports indicating the restricted free agent is seeking a maximum contract after his All-NBA campaign. Resolving those negotiations will be one of Detroit’s biggest priorities before the start of the 2026-27 season.