Everyone in Detroit is talking about the Tigers. That includes Pistons star Cade Cunningham, who was in Campus Martius park Wednesday afternoon for the announcement of a jersey partnership between the Pistons and StockX.
"It’s really cool to watch," Cunningham said of the Tigers' improbable playoff push, which continues Wednesday night against the Rays. "That’s how we want to be, seeing the Lions do the same thing. Everybody in Detroit is doing that, so I believe we’re next. Only the best is to come."
It can't get much worse than last season. The Pistons lost a franchise-record 68 games, after losing 65 the year prior. They are mired in the worst five-year stretch in franchise history. But they have a new leader at the top in president of basketball ops Trajan Langon, who was also on hand Wednesday, and on the sideline in head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
"It’s a new year," said Cunningham. "We’re excited to be able to have a fresh start, a lot of new faces around, Trajan being around, excited about everything that he’s done. It’s an exciting time for the organization and there’s a lot of opportunity for us to get better and grow."
The face of the franchise is Cunningham, who signed a five-year, $226 million extension with the Pistons this offseason. It was Langdon who deemed him worthy of that commitment. Cunningham, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Wednesday, draped his arm around Langdon in a media scrum and said they've enjoyed getting a feel for each other this offseason.
"We’ve had a really good connection so far, just as far as getting to know each other and learn what we want to do and how we want to succeed," he said. "And now with the season coming up, I think him being able to see us on the court and see any adjustments we need to make, I have full faith that he’s going to be able to do all the things that we need him to do."
Cunningham laughed and added, "And I’m gonna do everything he needs me to do — that’s the main thing, for real."
The Pistons have nowhere to go but up, like the Lions midway through the 2022 season and the Tigers for most of the last decade. The Lions finished strong that year and rode the momentum all the way to the NFC title game last season. The Tigers caught fire last month and are on the verge of their first playoff berth in 10 years. And the Red Wings came within a point last season of their first playoff berth in eight years.
The Pistons, who haven't won a playoff game since 2008, are indeed next.