Detroit Pistons Ink Star Cade Cunningham to Long-Term Extension

Pistons sign Cade Cunningham to massive five-year deal.

Apr 12, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) warms up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports / Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Heading into free agency, the Detroit Pistons were in a position to be one of the biggest spenders. In the flurry of signings through the first two hours, they locked down a key member of their core.

Shams Charania reported Sunday that the Pistons and Cade Cunningham have agreed to a five-year deal worth $226 million. After being drafted first overall in 2021, he has become Deroits main foundational piece in their rebuild.

The Detroit Pistons plan to sign Cade Cunningham to a five-year, $226 million maximum rookie extension, sources tell me and @JLEdwardsIII. pic.twitter.com/Zu828t1jNe

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2024

Cunningham put together a strong rookie season, but things went off the rails for him in 2023. Just 12 games into the 2023 season, he was forced to undergo surgery that would sideline him for the year.

Despite being shelved for so long, Cunningham returned in impressive fashion last year. While the Pistons finished with the league's worst record, his impressive play was one of their few bright spots. Cunningham ended up playing in 62 games and averaging 22.7 PPG and 7.5 APG.

With this extension, Trajan Langdon has committed to Cunningham still being one of the key pieces to the franchise moving forward. In his first few weeks as President of Basketball Operations he's already begun improving the talent pool around him. First, the Pistons selected Ron Holland with the fifth pick in the NBA Draft. Then he executed a trade with the Dallas Mavericks for veteran help in the form of Tim Hardaway Jr.

Cunningham is now one of multiple players from his draft class to earn a sizable extension. Last week, the Toronto Raptors locked down All-Star forward Scottie Barnes.