The Detroit Pistons issued an update on Cade Cunningham before their matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 2.
As the star guard continues to recover from a collapsed lung, the Pistons ruled out Cunningham for an additional week.
If there is any chance that Cunningham gets cleared by the one-week mark, he’ll have two games left to play before the Pistons reach the playoffs.
Before Thursday’s action, Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff revealed his thoughts on attempting to get Cunningham back in the mix before the postseason.
JB Bickerstaff Drops A Statement On Cade Cunningham
“My preference doesn’t really matter at this point, to be honest,” Bickerstaff told reporters on Thursday.
“I think, clearly, that would be helpful. But the only thing that matters is his health and where he’s at. We’ll take that into account more than anything.”
Back when Cunningham initially received his diagnosis, Bickerstaff made it clear that the Pistons aren’t ruling Cunningham out for the entire season–including playoffs. At the same time, he was noncommittal on a Cunningham playoff run as well.
The Pistons anticipate having a better idea next week, when Cunningham undergoes his next evaluation.
The last time the Pistons had Cunningham on the court was during their March 17 game against the Washington Wizards on the road. Cunningham checked out after just five minutes of action.
At first, the Pistons believed he had a back injury. It turned out to be much more than that. Cunningham has now been out of the mix for nine straight games. He’ll add at least three more to the mix.
The Pistons Continue To Thrive
Even without Cunningham, the Pistons continue to find success.
Following an impressive victory over the Timberwolves, the Pistons improved to 56-21 on the year. They remain in the Eastern Conference’s top seed, with a 4.5-game lead over the Boston Celtics.
It’s evident that the Pistons are locking in the first seed. They managed to finish the job without their two-time All-Star guard. Soon, they’ll see when they can get him back.
Pistons Coach Gets Real on Major Cade Cunningham Question