Cade Cunningham Remains Hard at Work With Pistons Center

Pistons core pieces getting work in together ahead of training camp.

Mar 17, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) reacts after a score next to center Jalen Duren (0) during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

When Cade Cunningham inked the largest deal in Detroit Pistons history, he spoke a lot about wanting to be a pillar for the franchise on and off the court. Coming off his breakout season, he's showing his growth stems far beyond his statistics.

The Pistons' turnaround last season would not have been possible if not for the emergence of Cunningham. He quickly let the organization know they made the right choice by giving him a lucrative contract extension. Not only did he improve in all areas of his game, but his heightened play resulted in much more winning for the Pistons.

Amid joining the conversation of the league's top all-around players, Cunningham captured All-Star and All-NBA honors for the first time in his career. Determined to turn the Pistons into a title contender, he remains hard at work in the offseason.

Feb 2, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) and guard Cade Cunningham (2) reacts to a call in the second half against the LA Clippers at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Following their successful showing last season, Cunningham has been trying to build a stronger connection with his teammates. Specifically, when it comes to big man Jalen Duren.

Over the weekend, Cunningham posted a series of photos from his life recently. It included his recent vacation to Rome, along with a picture of him and Duren in the gym together.

Since being taken 13th overall in 2022, Duren has become a key piece to the Pistons' core. He's fresh off his second straight season of averaging a double-double (11.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG), and posted a career-high in assists per game (2.7).

It goes without saying how important it is for Cunningham and Duren to keep working on the cohesiveness. As a high-level athlete and Detroit's primary center option, Duren is Cunningham's go-to partner in the pick-and-roll. The more they learn how to play with one another, the tougher their two-man game will become to defend.

Photos like this are a testament to the mindset within the Pistons' core. While what they accomplished last season was impressive, they still have a long way to go. Knowing this, the group is putting in the extra hours behind the scenes in hopes of hitting the ground running when the regular season rolls around.

With training camp just a few weeks away, Cunningham and Duren will soon have the chance to get reps in with all their teammates.

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