NBA Draft Rumors: Pistons Expected to Lock in Cade Cunningham

The Detroit Pistons are expected to trade Cade Cunningham first-overall, according to a report.

When the Detroit Pistons found out they would be selecting first overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, many believed that it was Cade Cunningham or bust. And as the 19-year-old Arlington, Texas native assumed he wouldn't fall past the number one slot, Cunningham made it clear he'd only work out for one team during the pre-draft process. And that team happened to be the Pistons.

Like always, there was a lot of smoke coming out of Detroit in the weeks leading up to draft night. Although it seemed Cunningham to Detroit was a sure thing, there were tons of reports that hinted at the possibility of the Pistons potentially trading away the pick or even considering another prospect.

But at this point, the question marks surrounding the potential first-overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft are quickly going away. According to ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Detroit has made its mind up, and they have every intention of selecting Cunningham with the first pick of the 2021 NBA Draft.

ESPN Sources: The Detroit Pistons have landed on a decision to select Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 pick in tonight’s NBA Draft (ESPN and ABC at 8 PM ET).

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 29, 2021

Cunningham, an Oklahoma State standout, has been a projected top pick in the NBA ever since his days of playing high school ball in Florida. As a five-star recruit coming out of Montverde Academy, the six-foot-seven guard was ranked as the number one prospect in his class, according to most recruiting platforms.

Last season, Cunningham's debut NCAA season with the Oklahoma State Cowboys was nothing short of impressive. Starting in 26 of 27 games, Cunningham shot 44-percent from the field and hit on 40-percent of his threes, putting up 20 points per game.

Now recognized as the Big-12 Freshman of the Year, Big-12 Player of the Year, and a consensus first-team All-American, it's no shock Cunningham capitalized on his success early and entered the 2021 NBA Draft. Now, barring any last-minute changes, he's expected to land in a situation with the Pistons where he'll likely garner significant playing time right away.