Cade Cunningham did not call LeBron James to recruit him to the Detroit Pistons, saying he believed the 41-year-old superstar would not have needed his input while deciding his future.
“I don’t think he would have cared to hear what I had to say about it,” Cunningham said. “He’s doing what he wants to do at this point. I’m not mad at that. It is what it is, so good for him.”
James ultimately chose the Philadelphia 76ers, joining a team that also acquired Jaylen Brown from Boston. Cunningham said he was surprised to see James return to the Eastern Conference after spending the previous eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“It’s just funny to see LeBron. It’s just crazy to see that,” Cunningham said previously. “You know, obviously he’s blockbuster, so that’s good, him coming back to the East. I’m excited.”
The move adds another major contender to an Eastern Conference that already includes Detroit and Miami, where Giannis Antetokounmpo joined Bam Adebayo. Cunningham welcomed the increased competition rather than viewing the roster changes as a setback for the Pistons.
“I like it, it’s fun. It’s fun for the game,” Cunningham said. “They’re gonna be tough to beat. Obviously, they got all that talent over there, guys that play both ends of the ball, they’re gonna be tough to beat.”
Detroit enters the 2026-27 season after finishing first in the Eastern Conference at 60-22, four games ahead of Boston. The Pistons defeated Orlando 4-3 in the opening round of the playoffs before Cleveland eliminated them 4-3 in the conference semifinals.
Cunningham was a major reason for Detroit’s regular-season success. He averaged 23.9 points and 9.9 assists in 64 games while shooting 46.1% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range, finishing fifth in MVP voting and earning first-team All-NBA honors.
His production increased in the playoffs, when Cunningham averaged 28.1 points, 7.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds over 14 games. He shot 43.2% overall and 40.2% from three-point range during Detroit’s postseason run.
The loss to Cleveland reinforced Cunningham’s focus on solving tougher playoff defenses. “Especially when both defenses are locked down, it’s hard to score,” Cunningham said. “The team that can put the ball, find ways to still put the ball in the rim, it’s important.”
Detroit addressed its supporting cast by signing John Collins to a three-year, $51 million contract, re-signing Kevin Huerter and adding Gary Harris and Taurean Prince. The Pistons selected Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie with the 17th overall pick.
Cunningham said the additions provide skills the team needs around its lead guard. “They’re all high-IQ players, guys that can shoot the ball; all that stuff is needed for us,” he said.
With James and Brown now in Philadelphia and Antetokounmpo in Miami, Cunningham will have several new tests in the Eastern Conference. Asked if he was looking forward to facing James and Brown, he offered a simple response: “Yeah, we get to see him. Let’s do it.”
