Pistons legend critical of Cade Cunningham

One Detroit Pistons legend is not too impressed by what he has seen thus far from Cade Cunningham.

During Detroit’s game against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, retired Pistons great Dave Bing appeared on the local broadcast and spoke critically of the team’s No. 1 overall pick Cunningham.

“I think he’s going to be an All-Star caliber player. I don’t think he’s a guy that you build your team around,” said Bing. “We still gotta get that guy. We don’t have it yet, in my opinion. I also think our weakness is the backcourt. We gotta get a good point guard.”

Bing did add though that he thinks the rookie Cunningham has begun to come into his own and has been playing “very, very well” lately.

Pistons fans might not like these comments from Bing, a seven-time All-Star with Detroit who was chosen as one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of All-Time. The Pistons made Cunningham the top overall pick, so they are clearly looking to build their team around him. Bing’s remark about not needing a point guard is a bit odd as well since that is the position that Cunningham plays. Perhaps Bing sees him as more of a 2 guard.

There has been good with the 20-year-old Cunningham this season (15.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game), and there has been bad (38/31/85 shooting splits and 3.7 turnovers per game). While there was slight controversy recently over Cunningham’s development, he is still very much a work in progress. It is probably too early to tell if he is a legitimate franchise centerpiece, though that will obviously be the goal for the Pistons.

Photo: Dec 2, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports