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Detroit Pistons Fans Debate Haliburton, Barnes Over Cade Cunningham

On a recent list of NBA player rankings, Detroit Pistons fans felt Cade Cunningham was wrongly placed.

Justin Grasso

Nov 29, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) shoots the ball while Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Nov 29, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) shoots the ball while Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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When it comes to the Top 100 players in the NBA, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham is viewed as a Top 50 talent, according to The Ringer's updated rankings.

Cunningham is no stranger to the list, but he saw a slight boost to land at No. 45 through the first half of December.

Through the first 22 games of the 2024-2025 NBA season, Cunningham is putting together a career year. He’s scoring 24 points per game but shooting 46 percent from the field and knocking down 39 percent of his threes.

Once again, Cunningham’s playmaking has been sharp, as he’s nearly averaging double-digit assists. After averaging just four rebounds per game in 62 outings last year, Cunningham is coming down with seven boards per game so far this season.

The questionable part of Cunningham's performance this season has been his high turnover rate. Averaging nearly five turnovers per game, Cunningham has lost control of the ball on 16 percent of his possessions this year, his lowest rate since his rookie season. That ranks in the 29th percentile for the point guard position this year.

Pistons Fans React to Cunningham’s Rank

Although Cunningham's presence on the list is expected, It’s clear that many Pistons fans aren’t exactly thrilled with Cunningham’s standing in the league, according to The Ringer.

@mikeypistons: The Ringer new top 100 NBA players…. In no world has Hali been better than Cade this season

@CunninghamGoat: Cade playing better than barnes in every possible statistical category and they ranked him better 💀

@kd_3767: genuinely might be the worst list of all time

@nick__xo: i’m sure franz is a top 25 player and Cade isn’t lmao

@pw_phil88: I really feel like their reluctance to rank Cade a top 25 player is solely because of the team he plays for. Cause what more does Cade have to show?

@richardbrooks01: They rank him 45 but he has played like a top 20 player this year.

Perhaps history played a part in the panel’s decision to rank some players higher. Some names were frequently brought up, beginning with Toronto’s Scottie Barnes.

Coming in at 44, Barnes is just in front of Cunningham. He’s coming off of an All-Star season and has the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award on his resume. While those accolades might be the reason Barnes has that placement in front of Cunningham for the time being, the Raptors standout’s spot on the list has gone up and down throughout the year.

Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton was another controversial ranking brought up by Pistons fans. The Pacers guard’s slide down the rankings is one of the least surprising things to see on the updated list.

Sitting at No. 33, Haliburton has dropped over time from being within the Top 20. This season, Haliburton is averaging fewer than 18 points per game while struggling with his three-point shot, shooting 34 percent from deep. The assist numbers are still high, as he’s dishing out eight per outing, but the Pacers aren’t seeing any more success than the Pistons at this stage in the year.

Haliburton’s pair of All-Star nods might give him the benefit of the doubt early on, but he’s certainly viewed in a totally different light so far this season. If everything continues to play out similarly, there is a realistic chance Cunningham could squeeze by the Pacers guard at some point.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

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