Pistons’ Cade Cunningham diagnosed with collapsed lung, out indefinitely

Star guard Cade Cunningham has been diagnosed with a collapsed lung and will be reevaluated in two weeks, the Pistons announced. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported earlier that the All-Star guard is expected to miss an extended period.

What was initially called back spasms? Not that. Something more serious.

Cunningham left Tuesday’s win early. By Thursday, he was already ruled out. Now comes a diagnosis that puts everything on pause. There’s no clear timeline yet.

A similar injury has sidelined players for weeks, sometimes longer. But every case is different. The Pistons will take it slow. They have no choice.

And they can afford to. Detroit sits atop the East at 49-19 with some breathing room in the standings. The focus now shifts from seeding to health. Getting Cunningham right is the only thing that matters.

Still, the impact is real.

He’s been the engine all season. MVP-level production. Complete control of the offense. The Pistons are simply a different team without him. They’ll lean on Marcus Sasser, Daniss Jenkins and Caris LeVert to handle the load in the meantime.

But let’s be clear — this isn’t about rotations or stats right now. It’s about Cunningham getting healthy.