Feb 5, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) moves the ball up court on Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) during the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images David Reginek-Imagn Images

Pistons Star Cade Cunningham Slighted Following Breakout Season

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Kevin McCormick | Last updated Oct 9, 2025 7:30 PM ET

During the 2025 season, few players increased their stock around the league more than Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham. Despite putting together a breakout campaign, the rising star was slighted in the latest installment of the NBA GM survey.

Injuries derailed the early stages of Cunningham's career, but he's managed to recover in a big way. He ended the 2024 season on a strong note and carried that into a diligent summer of training. This resulted in Cunningham making "the leap" for the Pistons last year.

Detroit was one of the best feel good stories of the NBA in 2025, pulling off a historic turnaround where they tripled their win total. Cunningham was a driving force in their success, proving to be one of the league's top all-around talents.

The Pistons guard received All-Star and All-NBA honors after posting averages of 26.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 9.1 APG.

David Reginek-Imagn Images

With preseason action underway, the 2025-26 NBA GM survey went public Thursday. It featured an array of questions, including breaking down the top players at each position.

Seeing that he found himself on the All-NBA third team, Cunningham has established himself as one of the league's best point guards. However, executives around the NBA don't appear to see it that way.

When it came to the question of the NBA's best point guard, Cunningham did not receive a mention. Reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander received a majority of the votes, coming in at 73%. After that, it was Luka Doncic (17%), Steph Curry (7%), and Tyrese Haliburton (3%).

Coming off his dominant 2025 campaign, Cunningham certainly belongs in this discussion. He was among the top floor generals, finishing fourth in assists per game. Cunningham was also top ten in scoring, proving to be an effective piece at the center of Detroit's offense.

Cunningham made a sizable leap last season, but clearly still has a lot to prove. If he's able to stay on the path towards superstardom, this should be the last time Cunningham doesn't pop up in this debate for the foreseeable future.

Based on how he looked in the Pistons' preseason opener, the All-Star guard isn't showing any signs of slowing down.

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

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