The Detroit Pistons are locking up point guard Cade Cunningham with a multi-year contract extension, the team announced. The deal is reported to be a five-year, $224 million rookie max extension, according to multiple reports.
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has agreed on a five-year, $224 million maximum rookie extension that could become worth as much as $269 million, his agents Jeff Schwartz and James Dunleavy of @ExcelBasketball tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/5UHrrqPyRY
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 9, 2024
In 62 games last season, Cunningham set career highs in points (22.7) and assists (7.5) after playing in only 12 games in 2022-23 due to a stress fracture in his left shin that required season-ending surgery.
Cunningham, 22, was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Pistons, and was a member of the NBA All-Rookie team that season.
New Pistons president Trajan Langdon has expressed his intention to build around Cunningham and find pieces that can lighten his workload.
“As for Cade, he and I have had some really good conversations thus far,” Langdon said during his introductory news conference on June 21. “High-character human being, mature beyond his years and a big time basketball player at a young age, averaging 23 and 7 assists last year. We’re going to put a group around him that can bolster his growth.”
Detroit also brought in new coach J.B. Bickerstaff on a reported four-year deal, signifying a new direction for the franchise that has not won more than 23 games in a season since the 2018-19 season.