Cade Cunningham

Central Notes: Haliburton, Garland, Cunningham, Pistons

January 22nd, 2025 at 9:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Tyrese Haliburton barely got off the bench when he was in Paris with Team USA for the Summer Olympics, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. That won’t be a concern when the Pacers face the Spurs on Thursday and Saturday, and Haliburton is looking forward to showing the French crowd what he can do.

“I’m excited to actually play — like, play — in this arena,” Haliburton said at a press conference Wednesday in Paris. “But I’m just excited to be here. It will be a fun atmosphere and a fun game.”

Haliburton brought home a gold medal, but he saw the least playing time of anyone on the U.S. team. Dopirak notes that Haliburton was dealing with a leg injury at the time and got into just three Olympic games, playing 26 total minutes and scoring eight points. He remains good-natured about the experience and said it was still special to be part of the Olympics.

“Definitely just life-long memories,” Haliburton said. “Regardless of what the experience was for me personally, I was a part of a group of 12 guys — there’s only 12 players that got to experience that. It definitely means a lot.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Cavaliers guard Darius Garland is playing at an All-Star level, but tough competition might prevent him from being selected for the game, observes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. LaMelo Ball and Garland’s backcourt partner Donovan Mitchell are the leaders among Eastern Conference guards in the latest round of fan voting, leaving Garland to battle for reserve spots with Damian Lillard, Tyrese Maxey, Trae Young, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham and Tyler Herro. “Listen, I’ll fight for (Garland),” teammate Tristan Thompson said. “I’ll be the bad guy. I’ll be Charles Oakley. I think Darius Garland should be (an All-Star), and everyone you guys put in front of him, he’s rang the bell and did what he had to do.”
Cunningham renewed his long rivalry with Jalen Green by posting 32 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as the Pistons defeated the Rockets on Monday. Their battles date back to AAU games when they were in eighth and ninth grade, Green’s father told Kelly Iko and Hunter Patterson of The Athletic, and they intensified after Cunningham was selected No. 1 and Green went No. 2 in the 2021 draft.
In a separate story, Patterson takes a mid-season look at the Pistons, who may be headed to the playoffs after winning just 14 games last season. He points to a few things that have helped Detroit exceed expectations, including Cunningham’s rise to stardom, the emergence of Jaden Ivey before suffering a broken fibula, the addition of Malik Beasley in free agency and the progress of second-year player Ausar Thompson and rookie Ron Holland.

Pistons Notes: Trade Deadline, Ball-Handler, Cunningham

January 19th, 2025 at 12:04pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pistons have been one of the most surprising teams of the 2024/25 season. After finishing last season with the worst record in franchise history (14-68), the Pistons are currently 21-21, on pace to nearly triple that abysmal 14-win total, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.

Detroit also has plenty of financial flexibility ahead of the February 6 deadline, as the Pistons are the only team operating with cap room ($14MM). They also have the $8MM room exception at their disposal to potentially make multiple deals.

Their strong play over the past few weeks reportedly has the front office thinking about making in-season upgrades rather than serving as a salary dumping ground, though a recent report indicated that a major roster shakeup was unlikely.

While Detroit could pursue a number of different trade opportunities over the next two-plus weeks, Sankofa cautions that the Pistons ultimately might decide to be judicious with their flexibility, giving the team more time to evaluate the roster entering the offseason.

Here’s more from Detroit:

Saturday’s four-point loss to Phoenix highlighted the Pistons’ need for a secondary ball-handler and play-maker to complement former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham, according to Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Jaden Ivey had served in that role, but he might miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a broken fibula in his left leg. “It’s just got to be ball movement,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the game. “We keep talking about the diversity in our offense and just doing the next right thing. That’s one of the things, again, we’re continuing to work on. We don’t want to be a one-dimensional, ball-dominant team or dribble-dominant team.” Cunningham finished the game with 11 assists, half of the team’s total, but no other Piston had more than two, Patterson notes.
Cunningham’s teammates believe he should be an All-Star for the first time in ’24/25, per Sankofa of The Detroit Free Press. “It’s an honor to play with him as a young, up-and-coming superstar in this league and I think he’s starting to get the recognition and the clout that he deserves,” Tobias Harris said. “Extremely hard worker, extremely humble human being and an amazing teammate and leader for this whole group. … He’s playing at an extremely high level leading this group, leading this team and coming to play night after night. And not for nothing. He’s a dynamic offensive player but he’s also a very good defensive player, and he brings it defensively for our group as well. He’s been spectacular for us all season long.”
In case you missed it, Tim Hardaway Jr. is embracing his role as a veteran leader for the younger Pistons.

Central Notes: Siakam, Haliburton, Pistons, Lillard

January 14th, 2025 at 9:12pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Pascal Siakam continues to be a steadying force for the Pacers as they traverse the ups and downs of the season, according to Dustin Dopirak of IndyStar, who contends that the veteran forward has been Indiana’s most consistent player since his arrival via trade before last year’s deadline.

Even when they fell to 10-15 on the season, the Pacers continued to lean on Siakam and have gone 12-4 since, which included an impressive win over the contending Cavaliers on Sunday. More notable is the fact that Siakam hasn’t even been on Indiana’s injury report. In fact, the only game he’s been inactive for was his first as a Pacer the day after he was traded.

As Dopirak observes, Siakam leads the Pacers entering Tuesday with 19.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game to go along with 3.3 assists while shooting 52.1% from the field and 40.8% from deep. His three-point rate would be a career-high clip. He’s working on being a more vocal leader after being a core piece on the Raptors’ 2019 championship team. Siakam signed a four-year, maximum-salary contract with the Pacers this past offseason.

“I put a lot of work into my craft,” Siakam said. “I think every single night, I’m ready. I’m ready however the ball is gonna go. There’s going to be times when you might get more opportunity than others. It’s just all about preparation. For me, I prepare every single day for these moments. Every single night I’m out there, I want to be a threat on all three levels. I want to do it consistently every single night.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Tyrese Haliburton missed Tuesday’s rematch against the Cavaliers — a 127-117 loss that snapped a six-game Pacers win streak — due to a mild groin strain, Dopirak reports (Twitter link). Head coach Rick Carlisle said Haliburton would be “day-to-day.” According to Dopirak (Twitter link), it is not a hamstring injury for Haliburton, as initially believed. That’s worth noting, since the two-time All-Star battled hamstring problems last season.
Entering Tuesday, the Pistons led the league in wins in the month of January, earning them a nod for most surprising team of the year, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press opines. Cade Cunningham is establishing himself as a bona fide star and has a chance to start the All-Star Game just a year after the Pistons lost an NBA-record 28 consecutive games. “Our job is to put him in position to be successful. And then he’s got to go out there and do it,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Over these 40 games now, he and I and his teammates have learned a lot about each other and how we can best help each other. And that’s what it’s about — each of us playing our role and doing what we’re supposed to do together and collectively to just help one another, make this team as good as we possibly can. Cade knows his role and what this team needs, and he’s executed perfectly.” Cunningham is averaging 26.5 points and 8.3 assists per game this month while shooting a blistering 45.8% from deep.
Bucks star guard Damian Lillard is open to the idea of finishing out his career in EuroLeague, according to a report from BasketNews. “It’s something I’ve talked about with some members of my family the past two years but not seriously thought about,” Lillard said. It’s unlikely that will happen anytime soon, if at all. Lillard is still playing at an All-Star level at age 34, averaging 24.8 points and 7.3 assists per game while shooting 44.0% from the floor and 37.5% from three.

Community Shootaround: First Half’s Pleasant Surprises, Disappointments

January 11th, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The fact that Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball has been able to play in 19 games so far this season is an achievement in itself, given that he missed the previous two-and-a-half years while dealing with ongoing knee problems. As Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps write for ESPN.com (Insider link), what’s even more impressive is how impactful Ball has been during his time on the court.

Although his numbers, including 5.8 points per game on .359/.318/.750, don’t look especially strong, Ball is once again making the sorts of winning plays that don’t show up in the box score. Chicago has a +6.9 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to a -5.0 mark when he’s not.

“Someone is going to get him next year and look smart,” one executive said to ESPN of Ball, who is on an expiring contract.

Ball is among several players identified by Windhorst and Bontemps as the pleasant surprises of the first half of the 2024/25 NBA season. Here are a few more of the names on that list:

Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks: “He’s been everything the Knicks were hoping for and more, and his absence has left a larger hole than the Wolves would’ve ever thought,” a scout told ESPN.
Cade Cunningham, Pistons: “When the Pistons gave him the max, there were quite a few people who thought it was a risk, and he’s been very strong,” a general manager said.
Victor Wembanyama, Spurs: “What he’s doing is just ridiculous,” an executive said. “Say whatever you want about him meeting expectations; if he gets that roster to the playoffs, he should get MVP votes. And he might.”
Norman Powell, Clippers: “He’s gotten more minutes and shots, but no one would’ve believed he’d take this leap at this stage of his career,” an exec said to ESPN.

James Harden (Clippers), Dyson Daniels (Hawks), and Cameron Johnson (Nets) are among the others mentioned by ESPN’s duo.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, Heat teammates Terry Rozier and Jaime Jaquez, and Sixers center Joel Embiid are among the season’s biggest disappointments, as identified by Windhorst, Bontemps, and the sources they spoke to. Here are a few more of the players in that group:

Paul George, Sixers: “Philly probably knew there was a chance they’d have a rough PG year on this contract but they probably thought it would be year four — not year one,” an executive said.
Kyle Kuzma, Wizards: “I know he’s dealt with an injury,” one scout told ESPN, “but I think this has been the most disappointing season of his career.”
Scoot Henderson, Trail Blazers: “I thought it was a guarantee he’d play much better this year than last and show some things,” an exec said. “I’ve been wrong. His numbers are down, and the eye (test) confirms it.”

We want to know what you think.

Which NBA players have you been most pleasantly surprised or disappointed by so far this season? Are there any names on ESPN’s lists – or scouts’ and executives’ comments – that you strongly agree or disagree with?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

Central Notes: Cunningham, Pistons, Haliburton, Williams, Dosunmu

January 11th, 2025 at 8:40am CST by Tristan Tucker

Pistons star Cade Cunningham is guiding the team to winning ways after a slow start to the season and a franchise-worst year in 2023/24. As Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports writes, Cunningham is embracing the challenge that comes with being the Pistons’ franchise centerpiece and has shown a willingness to take the blame when things aren’t going right for the team.

“You don’t get that out of many old guys, right? Like, there’s not many people in this league that are willing to accept responsibility for the total right for the whole group,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “You know, you deal with a lot of people now, the easiest thing to do is either shy away from it or put it on somebody else. And I think that speaks to his courage.”

In 34 games, Cunningham is averaging 24.3 points, 9.3 assists and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 45.7% from the field and 37.6% from beyond the arc, all of which are career bests. The Pistons are 19-19, having already won five more games than they did all of last season.

“[It’s] something that comes with being, you know, ‘the guy,’” Cunningham said. “Everybody calls me ‘the guy.’ It’s a lot of responsibility. It’s a lot of … I mean, people would call it pressure, but, you know, I have to deliver, and I haven’t done that to the level that I wanted to.”

We have more from the Central Division:

The Pistons‘ recent turnaround is helping remove some of the ‘dark clouds’ surrounding the franchise, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press writes. “It’s huge, man,” Jalen Duren said. “It’s huge. The vets that came in, I’m not gonna say they don’t understand it, but they weren’t here. Guys who’ve been here … the guys who have been through the ups and downs of our short career, and now getting here and being .500 is huge.“
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton started to let some of the outside noise regarding his play affect him, leading to early-season struggles for both the fifth-year point guard and the team, Jared Weiss and Sam Amick of The Athletic write. “It was the first time in my life that I had real self-doubt behind everything I was doing,” Haliburton said. “… I feel like my personal struggles were leading to the team’s struggles.” Returning from an injury too soon last season and re-aggravating it impacted his play. The Pacers’ floor general is starting to turn it around, averaging 20.4 points and 9.9 assists per game and shooting 41.3% from three as the team has won 11 of its past 14 games.
The Bulls are “still searching for answers” as to how to best utilize forward Patrick Williams, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Williams, the fourth overall pick in 2020, is averaging 9.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest this season, in line with his career figures.
Chicago is optimistic that guard Ayo Dosunmu will be able to return from his Achilles injury at some point during the Bulls‘ five-game home stand, although it’s unlikely he’ll play on Sunday, according to K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). Dosunmu, who is averaging 12.6 PPG and 4.8 APG, has missed the last eight games with the injury.

Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Ivey, Holland, Beal

January 6th, 2025 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Cade Cunningham has accomplished a lot in his brief NBA career, but he’s never had the experience of playing for a winning team, writes Marc J. Spears of Andscape. The Pistons are moving in that direction and can reach the .500 mark with a victory over Portland on Monday. After overcoming a 1-5 start, Detroit is only one game out of the fifth spot in the East and may finally be a legitimate playoff contender.

“We are really trying to get through that breakthrough where now we are trying to be a real competitive team that is winning games more consistently,” Cunningham said. “[Recently], we had our first three-game win streak in years. We’ve been doing better this [season], but we still haven’t been able to put together wins. We’re still working to get that breakthrough.”

Cunningham admits he often blamed himself during a miserable 2023/24 season, which included a franchise record 28-game losing streak. He understood it would take a while to rebuild after being selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft, but he expected to be farther along by his third year in the NBA. Even with that frustration, Cunningham never hesitated to make a long-term commitment to the franchise, agreeing to a five-year, maximum-salary extension over the summer.

“I was committed the day I got here,” he said. “The losing streak made me commit even more. I was embraced so well by the city. The way they embraced me and my family was huge for me. Being part of Detroit sports and the culture and understanding everything that comes with Detroit, I do really feel like it is really Detroit versus everybody, and I’ve embraced that. I just want to be a part of Detroit winning. I want to have my own chapter in history.”

There’s more on the Pistons:

The team hasn’t given up hope that Jaden Ivey can return from his broken left fibula before the end of the season, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Ivey just underwent surgery on Thursday so no timetable has been set for his recovery process, but Langlois notes that the fibula tends to heal more quickly than other leg bones. “His spirit has been good. He’s been positive about the outcome and how he’s going to use this to become even better, even stronger,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “It’s tough. It’s not going to be an easy road. Just as a human, as a teammate, the things you feel you miss out on. But his guys love him a lot and will help him along the way. Knowing J.I., no one’s going to work harder to get back and be better.”
Rookie forward Ron Holland is working closely with shooting coach Fred Vinson to improve his jumper, tweets Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Holland is shooting 48.1% from the field, but he’s gone just 14-of-63 (22.2%) from three-point range. “It’s amazing. I’ve never really had a shooting coach before,” Holland said. “… He sees the potential of where I can be as a shooter. Just going day by day with it. I’m really trusting him.”
The Pistons might be willing to facilitate a Jimmy Butler trade to Phoenix by taking back Bradley Beal from the Suns, suggests Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). His hypothetical deal would have Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway Jr. headed to the Heat, with Phoenix possibly sending some of its remaining draft assets to both Detroit and Miami. O’Connor’s trade idea was inspired by a Substack article from Tom Haberstroh, who suggested the Pistons as a third-team facilitator due to their cap room, as well as the various connections between the franchises in Detroit and Phoenix. Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein used to work for the Pistons, while the Suns recently hired Matt Tellem, the son of Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem.

Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Bickerstaff, Thompson, Billups

January 5th, 2025 at 10:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons star guard Cade Cunningham scored a season-high 40 points against the Timberwolves in the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday. His aggressive approach is a good sign for a franchise on the upswing, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic writes. Detroit has won six of its last seven games.

“I’m trying to make the best basketball play available for the team at all times,” said Cunningham, who also had nine assists. “Sometimes confidence can get in the way of that, feeling like I’m in a groove or my shot is the best. But I’m just trying to make sure everybody is in a rhythm and everybody knows what’s going on. Getting everybody involved early. My teammates trust me so much with making plays that it’s a two-way street.”

We have more on the Pistons:

J.B. Bickerstaff has shown a willingness to challenge officiating calls and the players appreciate having their first-year coach back them up, Omari Sankofa of the Detroit Free Press writes. “You can see his passion on the floor,” big man Isaiah Stewart said. “When you have a coach that’s showing that kind of passion, standing the whole game, encouraging you mid-game, talking to you during the game, that just gives you a different kind of energy. It’s like, ‘OK, I got you coach. I’m going to play hard for you.’” Bickerstaff has used his coaches challenge regularly in recent weeks, including a successful one in the final minute of a close win over the Lakers.
In the first two games since Jaden Ivey suffered a fractured fibula, Bickerstaff has changed his starting lineup both times. He went with Wendell Moore against Charlotte, then switched to Ausar Thompson against Minnesota. Thompson may have earned a long look as a starter after posting 10 points, 10 rebounds, and a career-best six steals. “He had five steals in the first half. He got deflections, did a good job defensively, helps us play faster,” Bickerstaff said. “That was one of the things versus this team we wanted to do. We knew we needed to play faster and let out athletes kind of run and A.T. did that for us.”
Detroit can reach the .500 mark with a win over Portland on Monday. The Pistons also have something special planned for Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, who was the 2004 Finals Most Valuable Player when the Pistons won their last championship. He was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame during the offseason and the Pistons will celebrate his Detroit career with a video montage and other events. “I know the atmosphere will be a lot of fun,” Billups said. “They’ve got some things planned for me since I’m going back there for the first time since the Hall of Fame (induction).”
The Pistons are making several moves regarding their two-way contracts. Get the details here.

Central Notes: Rollins, Beauchamp, I. Jackson, Nesmith, Cunningham

January 4th, 2025 at 7:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

Point guard Ryan Rollins has been a valuable addition for the Bucks, but the team will eventually have to make a decision on his contract status, writes Jim Owczarski of The Journal Sentinel. Rollins’ two-way deal allows him to be on the active roster for 50 games. Even though he’s only played in 18 games, he’s been active for 25, which means he’s already used up half his eligibility. If Milwaukee wants to keep him on the court past 50 games and make him eligible for the playoffs, he’ll have to be converted to a standard contract.

“I don’t think about it, but it does come into play eventually,” Rollins said. “Hopefully I just continue to play and best of best they convert me. That’s what I’m hoping for. Praying for that, so just gotta keep rolling with what I’m doing right now and just stick with it. Everything works out how it’s supposed to work out at the end of the day. I’m a true believer in that, so I’m not really worried about it too much.”

Selected with the 44th pick in the 2022 draft, Rollins had short stints with Golden State and Washington, but didn’t see much playing time with either team. After the Wizards waived him, Rollins signed with the Bucks last February on a two-way deal that carried over into this season. He’s averaging 4.4 PPG in 11.6 minutes per night, and coach Doc Rivers has been impressed by his athleticism and defensive intensity, according to Owczarski.

There’s more from the Central Division:

The Bucks have a full 15-man roster, so someone would have to be waived to create an opening to give Rollins a standard contract. That could wind up being small forward MarJon Beauchamp, who has seen his playing time drop significantly in his third NBA season, Owczarski adds in the same piece. Beauchamp was a first-round pick in 2022, but he’s slipped far outside the rotation, averaging just 3.9 minutes in 15 games. “I feel like the work I put in is keeping me confident, you know? Having the right approach and mindset,” he said. “I feel like I’m getting better – not saying that I don’t support my teammates – but just being a better teammate (with) high energy, supporting my team, just learning different aspects I feel like I can grow in.”
Pacers center Isaiah Jackson, who underwent surgery in November for a torn Achilles tendon, was back with the team for its December 31 game, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Agness notes that Jackson and James Wiseman, who suffered the same injury on opening night, were able to accompany their teammates on a flight to Miami this week as they continue their rehab.
Meeting with reporters before tonight’s game, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said injured forward Aaron Nesmith has been able to take part in five-on-five scrimmages, tweets Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Nesmith has been sidelined since November 1 with a sprained left ankle, and Carlisle said it will take time for him to get reconditioned because he’s been out of action for so long.
Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has been experiencing knee soreness this week, per Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). “He’s run a ton for us and is carrying a heavy burden for us,” said coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who added that he’s working with the medical staff to alleviate the condition.

Central Notes: Ivey, Cunningham, Mobley, Lillard

December 29th, 2024 at 9:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

As his Pistons continue to improve into a frisky play-in-caliber team this season, guard Jaden Ivey has grown increasingly more comfortable in clutch moments, observes Hunter Patterson of The Athletic.

Patterson writes that the Pistons have gone 8-4 when Ivey scores 19 or more points. A confident Ivey scored six of his 19 points — including his second game-winning bucket of the year — during the last 15 seconds of Detroit’s 114-113 upset win over the Kings on Thursday.

“He knows how much work he puts in,” new Detroit head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “His teammates knew and trusted in him. We could have taken a tougher, contested (three-pointer), but we saw him in the corner and we made the play to him. He went ahead and knocked it down and then had the confidence to knock down the free throw and help us win the game.”

At 14-18 on the year, Detroit currently occupies the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference. The team has also already matched its total win tally from 2023/24 and it’s still December.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Ivey isn’t the only young Pistons guard on the rise this year. His backcourt mate Cade Cunningham has also taken major strides, writes Patterson in a separate story. Cunningham is currently enjoying his best season for a suddenly scrappy Detroit squad, averaging a career highs of 24.0 points, 9.7 assists, 6.7 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game. The former No. 1 overall draft pick has logged six triple-doubles, third-most in the league this year. “I’ve made some plays this year that I haven’t seen from myself in a long time,” Cunningham said. “I’ll watch a full game, and I’m like, ‘I was really hooping that game.’ I think it’s just the steady growth for me. I don’t really put a cap on myself as far as what I’m able to be. I just want to continue to get better.”
Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley has taken a significant leap as a jump shooter, which has paid dividends thus far this season, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “Coaches and teammates, they’ve been really on me,” Mobley told Fedor. “Every time I turn down the shot, they tell me to shoot it again and again. Having coaches and teammates like that just helps your confidence. I’m gonna keep letting ‘em fly.” Mobley is making 43.7% of 2.4 three-point attempts per contest, a career-best mark.
Bucks All-Star point guard Damian Lillard recently sat out a pair of games with a right calf injury and two more due to an illness. He made his return in a narrow 116-112 defeat to Chicago on Saturday. Afterward, the 6’2″ vet acknowledged that he felt physically okay, but was still dealing with lingering effects from his illness, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “I felt physically fine like moving around, but as the game went on, you just feel a little weak and I haven’t played,” Lillard said. “Still a little bit sick, feeling it in my chest and coughing a little bit, but I expected it to be like that coming into the game because I haven’t played.” Lillard contributed a 29-point, 12-assist double-double, though he didn’t score at all in the game’s final 5:07.

Central Notes: Giddey, Mitchell, Cunningham, Beasley

December 24th, 2024 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Should the Bulls give Josh Giddey a long-term contract? Giddey, currently sidelined by an ankle sprain, will be a restricted free agent after the season. Head coach Billy Donovan believes the fourth-year guard can be a foundation piece for the franchise.

“I think like any player, coach, we all need to get better, so I’ll just start there,” Donovan told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “But I really felt like there was a learning curve with him with our team because one of his greatest strengths is his passing. The defensive part for him, I think he’s gotten better as time has gone on. I think the thing for him the last five or six games before he got hurt, I thought he was really impacting our team in a positive way as he started to figure things out, so I definitely think without question that he can be an important piece to us.”

The front office reportedly didn’t hold serious discussions on a rookie scale extension with Giddey prior to the October deadline.

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Donovan Mitchell has settled in with the Cavaliers after previously dealing with trade rumors and concerns about his long-term future, Tony Jones of The Athletic reports. “For years, everyone has talked about if I like Rudy (Gobert), or talked about me going to the New York Knicks or the Miami Heat,” he said. “So, it’s great to finally have that sense of peace.” Mitchell signed a three-year extension with Cleveland over the summer. “It’s hard to win championships. It’s hard to win in this league. Despite public opinion, I love being in Cleveland and I want to win a title with this group,” he added.
Accolades from the league’s superstars keep piling up for Pistons guard Cade Cunningham. After Kevin Durant offered high praise for Cunningham over the weekend, LeBron James also complimented him following Detroit’s win over the Lakers on Monday. “He’s just too big,” James said, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. “He’s got wide shoulders, big legs and he knows exactly what he’s doing. And he gets to it. Solid player. Very, very solid. He’s gotten better and better, and the best thing I think this year is that he’s been healthy. He was the No. 1 pick, right? That’s for a reason. They got a great one.”
After signing a one-year deal with the Pistons, Malik Beasley is proving to be one of the league’s best free agent pickups during the offseason. He’s averaging 16.6 points per game for the much-improved club and told Mark Medina of Sportskeeda that he’s made himself an elite shooter. “A lot of people don’t work. A lot of people don’t come in and do extra work,” he said. “As much as I do it, you’d be surprised on how many guys don’t do it. How many guys don’t come in to work before shootaround? It’s not mandatory. But that’s what separates those guys. What separates me as an elite shooter? I’m not a Hall-of-Fame player. But I’m a Hall-of-Fame shooter. So you just keep pushing.”

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