Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham. Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Pistons duo's return to health won't change team's fate

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 1/23/24

The 4-39 Detroit Pistons are simply trying to avoid the terrible kind of NBA history that they made earlier this season.

The playoffs are a galaxy away from this squad as it's constructed, and frankly, even just 10 wins may be as well.

Help is on the way for Detroit, though, as it's being reported that star guard Cade Cunningham is likely to return from his knee injury on Wednesday.

The Pistons are also likely to finally have the services of veteran point guard Monte Morris. Detroit had traded for Morris over the summer for a second-round pick in hopes that the seventh-year guard would provide much-needed stability to an otherwise extremely young roster.

Unfortunately, Morris has missed every game this season so far due to injury. If he plays on Wednesday against the Charlotte Hornets, it will be both his season and Pistons debut.

Monte Morris and Cade Cunningham are both probable to return tomorrow against the Hornets. It would be Morris’ season debut. Also the first time the Pistons will be 100% healthy.
— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) January 23, 2024

While Detroit will be at "full strength" for the first time this season, it's hard to see how this team will improve much. Keep in mind, Cunningham may be a budding superstar, but he was on the floor for every game during Detroit's record-setting 28-game losing skid.

His return to the lineup will be a welcome sight for fans, but it's not like Morris has been the missing piece that this team has needed to evolve from arguably the worst team of all time to simply even just a passable team.

In 61 starts for the Washington Wizards last season, Morris averaged 10.3 points and 5.3 assists per game.

Cunningham is averaging 22.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game this season, but he was on a tear before he tweaked his knee. He put up two 40-point-plus games in December and had scored 31 and 30, respectively, in the two games preceding his injury.

Still, it likely won't be enough to turn the fortunes of this terrible team around this season.

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