The Detroit Pistons and Cade Cunningham have agreed on a five-year, $224 million most rookie extension, making Cunningham the highest-paid participant in franchise historical past, league and workforce sources confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday.
Cunningham, the No. 1 choose within the 2021 NBA Draft, has been one of many few brilliant spots for a corporation that has spent the previous few years within the cellar of the Japanese Convention.
The 22-year-old guard missed all however 12 video games resulting from a shin damage and surgical procedure in 2022-23 however returned in his third yr to enhance immensely throughout the board regardless of enjoying on a 14-win workforce that wasn’t essentially suited to his strengths.
The workforce has made strikes to beef up its roster this offseason, together with bringing again ahead Tobias Harris, buying Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley, and hiring coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
Final season, Cunningham averaged 22.7 factors, 7.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds per recreation whereas upping his field-goal share to 45 p.c and 3-point share to 35 p.c on 5.4 makes an attempt. These numbers had been on par with the Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero, who was named an All-Star.
Cunningham proved he’s price constructing round for the longer term together with his play this previous season and the management he’s proven regardless of enjoying in a struggling, rebuilding state of affairs.
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