Oct 6, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) shoots during the first quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Cade Cunningham Continues to Refine Key Component of Offensive Arsenal

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Kevin McCormick | Last updated Oct 20, 2025 1:09 PM ET

When it comes to the Detroit Pistons, there is no bigger storyline than the continued development of Cade Cunningham. Fresh off his breakout campaign, the All-Star guard is still focused on becoming an all-around star in the NBA.

Last season, Cunningham emerged as a budding superstar for the Pistons. He filled the stat sheet on a nightly basis, proving he can be the primary pillar of Detroit's offense on a nightly basis. Cunningham's brilliance as a scorer and passer helped the Pistons triple their win total and reach the postseason for the first time since 2019.

While there are a lot of things that Cunningham already does at a high level, there are other components of his game that are still a work in progress. Instead of shying away from his weaknesses, he continues to try and perfect his craft and round out his entire arsenal.

David Reginek-Imagn Images

Since entering the NBA, Cunningham has never been shy to take his game beyond the arc. That said, it is undoubtedly the weakest element of his skill set. Cunningham has made some strides in this area, shooting a career-best 35.6% from deep last season.

Understanding how important the three-point shot has become in the modern NBA, Cunningham has placed an emphasis on improving as a perimeter threat.

Ahead of the 2026 campaign, Cunningham mentioned that shooting more threes is one of his goals for the year. Just days out from the Pistons' season-opener against the Chicago Bulls, the star guard opened up about working diligently to further develop his outside shot.

"Been working man," Cunningham said in regards to his three-point shot. "Just trying to sharpen it everyday. I feel great about it...I just feel good."

Asked Cade how comfortable he feels with his 3-point shot heading into the regular season.

“Been working, man. Just trying to sharpen it every day. I feel great about it. Five days to continue to (improve). … I want to keep on working.” pic.twitter.com/q8NfkqrMoj
— Hunter Patterson (@HunterPatterson) October 17, 2025

Like every other player in the NBA, adding a reliable outside shot would do wonders for Cunningham and his development. Most notably, defenses would have to change how they guard the Pistons' star. If opponents are forced to go over screens in his pick-and-rolls, it opens up more driving and passing lanes for him.

Cunningham improving his shot also opens the door to him being utilized off the ball as a catch-and-shoot option.

The former No. 1 pick's eagerness to strengthen his entire arsenal is one of many reasons why he remains on the path towards superstardom.

This article first appeared on Detroit Pistons on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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