The 4-19 Pistons, losers of nine straight games, are currently sole owners of the NBA’s worst record. Happily from a big-picture perspective, intriguing rookie guard Cade Cunningham is showing promising early signs of development, details James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.
Cunningham was shelved for Detroit’s entire preseason and the early portion of the 2021/22 regular season with an ankle injury, but has come on in a big way across the Pistons’ last four games. In that time, Cunningham has averaged 22 PPG while shooting 51% from the floor and 50% from deep, along with 7.7 RPG and 3.2 APG. Overall, the 6’6″ point guard is averaging 14.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG and 4.6 APG across the 18 games he has played this season.
“I feel like my voice is heard in the locker room,” Cunningham said of where he stands on the Pistons roster. “That hasn’t been a problem for me. We have a good group of guys.”
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Injured Bucks starting shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo will continue to rehabilitate with Milwaukee’s G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. DiVincenzo will practice with the Herd ahead of an anticipated return to the floor for the Bucks. The 24-year-old tore an ankle ligament during the first series of the Bucks’ 2020/21 title run. Last year, the Villanova alum averaged 10.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.1 across 66 regular season games for Milwaukee.
- After it was floated earlier today that the Pacers would be open to offloading players following an underwhelming 10-16 season start under the stewardship of new head coach Rick Carlisle, Evan Sidery of Basketball News has cooked up some intriguing potential trade destinations for swingman Caris LeVert. Clubs like the Cavaliers, Grizzlies, Jazz Mavericks and Pelicans are all considered fits by Sidery. Sidery notes that LeVert has become movable thanks in part due to the emergence of rookie wing Chris Duarte.
- As the Pacers look to shake up their roster, Clark Wade of The Indianapolis Star wonders which Indiana players the club should trade. The markets for big men Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner, plus lead guard Malcolm Brogdon, all good players on agreeable contracts, should be robust, though Brogdon won’t be trade-eligible until the offseason.
Myles Turner to Charlotte for Oubre, ish smith and pick swaps (once Oubre can be traded)
PJ Washington has to be in that trade
That’s the thing with small market teams. Money is always an issue. I like Duarte but he is no LaVert. Man if the Jazz could get him. Watch out. Even the Cavs are a nice fit for him. Especially if they could use Claxton to get him.
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isn’t the only Claxton playing for Brooklyn?
My bad meant Sexton …. Got xton mixed up.
@Knicks
Why would the Cavs trade Sexton for Levert? Sexton is a much better player and Levert doesn’t move the needle much as a guard nor shooting guard, especially on a team that needs its guards to stretch the floor. Levert only shoots 42% from the floor and around 25% from the 3pt range. Garland (39%) and Rubio (35%) are better off as starters. Levert shouldn’t get you Sexton, injured nor otherwise.
Sexton scheduled to be RFA
@McMillan
Yes. I know he’s a RGA next year. So what? Cavs have the ability to match any offer and him coming off of an injury might suppress larger and longer offers. I still think he’s the most talented scorer on the team.
@Knicks get something for him so you don’t lose him without getting anything in return.
@McMillan
His trade value is incredibly low right now. Who’s in a rush to acquire an injured player who won’t play until next year the same year as his RF? Plus the Cavs have indicated they want him back but at a lower price which might happen seeing Sexton’s market might be hampered due to his injury. I
You must be Cavs GM. Really using his stats for this yr. You must not know he’s coming back from surgery. I take him over Sexton any day. Sexton is a one way player. Who is a ball hog. You keep him. At the end of year. Come back and tell me all about LeVert. He’s a 6’6” 2way play who rebs and can pass. And puts up 20 gm easy. In the offense not Nutting. You really should watch him.
@Knicks
It’s amazing how condescending, and wrong, you can be.
Let’s throw out this season since Levert is coming back from an injury and Sexton missed most of this season.
Levert career slash:
43%/33%/73% on 14 pts pg/4 aspg/4 reb on 12 shots per game
Sexton
46%/38%/83% on 20pg/3 apg/3 reb on 16 per game
Sexton is easily the more efficient and better shooter. Sexton is no longer asked to handle point guard duties since they drafted Garland, but had a career 4.4 assists pg working as a SG.
How is he a ball hog? He was told to shoot the ball and he does so at a high%. Look at the top scorers in the nba. they all have high usage. that’s their job on their team. Defensive iq on a team level might be his biggest issue.
@KnicksFan
LeVert is a pretty good player. I think he does move the needle. He can create his own shot and can also sit back and facilitate when other guys get hot. I think he would be an asset to the Cavs and would probably work better than the Garland/Sexton thing they have going. He’s also a veteran presence.
@slim
You’re entitled to your own opinion but I think Sexton has a much higher ceiling. Garland is doing a good job as starting PG. Sexton knows his job and is one of the most dynamic guards I’ve seen of late. He doesn’t have the athleticism like Westbrook but he knows how to score at all 3 levels. Lavert will never be as dynamic as a healthy Sexton.
Fair enough @AI
Cunningham is for real. I see him more as a wing. A big wing with great vision. Chemistry wise, Pistons should put a shooter. Next to him and Hayes. Cause he would get a lot of good looks next to those two.
Still holding out hope. For Jerami Grant to Knicks. At 27 he’s to old for this group.
We got plenty of young talented guys. Starting with Obi1. He can be their 4 of the future.
Everything begins in IND by firing Carlisle, if they don’t, it doesn’t really matter whatever trade they do, guy doesn’t know what to do with this group!
Fire Carlisle? Carlisle is one of the top 50 coaches in NBA history. Only way is a mutual separation. Carlisle didn’t sign up for a rebuild.
Carlise is trash. As a mavs fan I hated him. Sure he gets the credit as a head coach champion bit kidd, jason Terry, terry stouts and Dwayne Casey did all the coaching. All have more playoff series wins than carlise since 2011.
I know the offer was already there before but I wish the Sixers accepted that Brogdon deal.
He just signed that extension making him not able to be traded until mid April. But means he’s now locked in at just over 20mil a season for basically the next four seasons including this one. In today’s market that’s an absolute bargain.
Be interested to see what Indy target in deals and more specifically who.
How about some of these?
1. James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody for Sabonis and Isiah Jackson
2. DeAndre Ayton and Jalen Smith for Myles Turner and Isiah Jackson
3. Gordan Hayward and a pair of second rounders for Myles Turner and TJ Warren
Why would the rebuilding Pacers take an older player? The best deal is Coby White, Patrick Williams, Jones Jr and Brown, JR for 2 of those 3 Pacers. LeVert can be the 6th man and Turner the defensive PF we need for Giannis
For Giannis. He’s under contract for five more years. Hilarious.
To defend Giannis LOL
A lot of garbage heading to Indy in that proposed Bulls trade
Two young, high drafts picks and expiring contracts, it’s the perfect combination
Actually Wiiliams White and Jones have all made significant contributions with the Bulls, I would not be happy to see them go. Williams especially as he has high upside, like Kawhi upside. White = Jamal Crawford or Lou Williams, Brown eh a 11th or 12th man.
Indy don’t want all that trash.
1 of my three deals has them getting an older player in Gordan Hayward. Hayward is born and raised in Indy and according to some reports wanted to return him in FA when he left Boston but the money Charlotte offered was to good to say no to.
The reason you trade for him is cause he makes you better. Maybe a group of Brogdan LeVert Hayward and Sabonis is worth trying out until end of the season and they you open yourself up to other offers again. I’d think that group of 4 could turn the season around and be a late playoff side which really pushes the top teams
Why would the Suns trade Ayton? Lol. Stop this….
Cause they didn’t give him a rookie extension. He wanted the max a and didn’t get it and come FA at end of the season he will get a max offer and Suns will have to match or he walks for nothing.
Unless they decide they really don’t want to pay him the max and know he will get it. So they plan ahead and trade him for a cheaper contract. Turner is on a much more affordable contract than the rookie max. He’s also offers a completely different game which the Suns may like. Some outside shooting to space the floor and elite rim protection. Plus Isiah Jackson looks nice l
@simmons Have you watched the Suns this year? Ayton is ballin. He will probably get the max from the Suns.
I agree he most likely gets it. But if for whatever reason they really don’t want to max him then Indy should pounce