The Athletic: How the Pistons Can Unlock Cade Cunningham's Off-Ball Looks for More Offense

As the 2026-26 NBA season approaches, a tactical analysis piece from The Athletic is making observers of the Detroit Pistons stop and think. Not because of a blockbuster trade, not because of a shocking statement, but because of one number: Cade Cunningham, the Pistons' No. 1 star, posted 1.41 points per possession (PPP) in off-ball spot-up and handoff situations, ranking in the 96.6th percentile in the league during the recent playoffs. That is a level of efficiency that even the best shooters in the NBA would dream of. The story here is not simply that 'Cade should move more.' It is a full philosophical shift for the Pistons' offense, a team that has relied for too long on Cunningham's ability to create his own shot in the half court. Postseason numbers paint a starkly contrasting picture: when handling the ball as the pick-and-roll ball handler, Cunningham generated only 0.87 PPP; in isolation, that number dropped to 0.76 PPP. To put it bluntly, using Cunningham as the sole on-ball anchor is no longer the optimal approach. The context of the 2026 summer market reinforces this argument. The Pistons recruited four players who shot over 40% from three-point range last season: Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., Tobias Harris, and Paul Reed. These are not marquee names, but they address the most pressing issue of last season's Pistons: lack of offensive spacing. A team with too few reliable shooters forces its star to operate in congested spaces, which is why, despite Cunningham averaging more than 23 points per game, his overall efficiency remained around league average. But what makes The Athletic analysis valuable is not just the data. It is how they frame the role of Ausar Thompson. The 23-year-old, known for his elite defense and athleticism, is expected to become the primary initiator in the sequences where Cunningham moves off the ball. Last season, Thompson showed positive signs as a ball handler, and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been open about his ambition to turn him into a 'secondary playmaker.' If Thompson truly progresses, the Pistons will have a two-headed offensive system: Cunningham leaves the ball-handling duties to become a cutting threat, while Thompson runs the offense. This is where I recall the lessons from my years in the business. The numbers in a contract do not lie, but the people reading them know how to conceal. In this case, though, the issue is not the contract; it is the sample size. 41 catch-and-shoot attempts and 18 one-or-two-dribble shots in the playoffs are a tiny sample from which to conclude that Cunningham will sustain 1.41 PPP over a full season. I was once faster than a phone call and paid for it with 5 million euros of credibility, so I understand the difference between a real trend and a flash in the pan. What is more striking is what the original article does not mention: the reaction of opposing defenses. In a league where switching is increasingly favored, having Cunningham run off pindown screens could be neutralized by switching or by ignoring a weaker shooter. Thompson, at this moment, is not yet a sufficient threat from beyond the arc to force defenders to respect him. If that happens, the open looks for Cunningham will turn into difficult mid-range attempts, and the bright scenario painted by The Athletic could collapse within the first month. On the operational side, the Pistons have a relatively stable framework. Cunningham signed a five-year, $224 million max extension, showing the front office's full commitment to building around him. But John Collins' contract, at roughly $26 million per season, is a double-edged sword. If he maintains his three-point shooting form, he is an asset. If not, the Pistons will be stuck with an expensive deal while their cap is squeezed by Cunningham's max contract. General manager Trajan Langdon, entering his second season, appears to be taking a calculated risk: paying mid-tier shooters rather than chasing a second star immediately. From a market perspective, the Detroit Pistons are projected as a play-in team this season, roughly seventh to tenth in the Eastern Conference. They are not expected to contend for a title, but a 40-win season would be a massive leap from just 14 wins in 2026-24. With an Eastern Conference crowded at the top by the Celtics, Bucks, Knicks, and Cavaliers, the Pistons must battle hard against the Pacers, Magic, and Heat in the middle tier. And the biggest question remains Thompson. There is one thing I have learned from years of covering the basketball transfer market: there is no such thing as a bad rumor, only people who read rumors too hastily. The same principle applies to a tactical plan. The Athletic is not saying the Pistons will become title contenders. They are simply saying there is a way to improve offensive efficiency, based on data and roster structure. The question is whether Thompson can stay healthy and develop enough to take on the role of primary initiator while Cunningham plays off the ball. If the answer is no, the entire plan collapses. Looking at the long term, the Pistons adopting a 'Jokic-Murray' model for the Cunningham-Thompson pairing is an intriguing direction. In that model, the No. 1 star accepts a reduced share of ball control, letting the secondary creator run the offense while moving off the ball to find higher-quality opportunities. This not only helps Cunningham conserve energy for crunch time but also relieves the pressure of scoring from difficult situations. But that is theory. In practice, the success of this plan depends on whether Thompson can threaten defenses from the perimeter. The clearest benchmark will come in the first 20 games: if Thompson averages more than five assists per game, the new system can function. Three sources are never too many when a number decides someone's career. In this case, I need at least 20 official games to confirm Cunningham's off-ball efficiency, rather than rushing to praise a sample of 41 shots. The 1.41 PPP in the playoffs is real, but it needs to be verified by a much larger volume of possessions. And in the meantime, I will closely track the three-point percentages of the four newcomers: if they hold above 38% through the first 30 games, the Pistons' spacing story will become far more convincing. Basketball, like the transfer market, does not reward fleeting excitement. It rewards those who patiently read data, question assumptions, and wait until the final moments before asserting something. The Pistons may be standing at the threshold of a major shift in how they use their star, but to know whether it will succeed, there is no alternative but to enter the season and let the numbers speak for themselves. The airport, the contract, and a phone call from a small club are how I uncover the truth. For this NBA season, those will be pindowns, handoffs, and Thompson's movement patterns.