Shocking Cade Cunningham stat puts Pistons turnaround in perspective

Winning 14 out of 82 games will make any fan go crazy, but losing 28 games in a row is the type of thing that would make season ticket fans throw in the towel.

Those were the figures the Detroit Pistons pulled in last year. It was a basketball abomination. While some took the opportunity to proclaim Cade Cunningham wasn't that guy, smarter people saw through this charade. It was clear Cunningham was a great player with a less-than-subpar supporting cast. He had 30 different teammates suit up with him last year, and almost half of them are out of the league today.

These guys aren't out of the league because they're old, they were on-the-fence NBA players. Monty Williams coached the 14-68 Pistons last year and things were shaky from the beginning. The way he answered this question about analytics foreshadowed the type of season on the horizon for those in the 313.

Cade Cunningham is benefitting from better teammates and stable rotations

One of Williams's biggest missteps was the constant need to start Killian Hayes over Jaden Ivey. Both were lottery picks, so I understand the fixation on wanting Hayes to work out in Detroit, but that just wasn't in the cards. Hayes is one of the 14 players from last year who is no longer in the NBA. He started a whopping 31 games last year! Williams would state defense as to why he'd play over Ivey, and that's not valid enough. Ivey should be a better defender with his physical traits, but it was clear early on Hayes was a backup in this league at best.

Kevin Knox and Isaiah Livers were wings on the squad playing heavy minutes in spurts. Knox is in the G League, and Livers is out of the NBA fraternity entirely currently recovering from an injury. These were the players on the wing Cunningham was expected to kick it out to. They're the reason teams sold out to muck up the paint for Cunningham. Joe Harris and Evan Fournier were supposed to be lethal shooters who spaced the floor for Cunningham, but that never worked as it should've. They're no longer on NBA rosters.

It's fascinating how one could see the talent around Cunningham and conclude that he can't lead a team. For experimental purposes, watch a guy like LeBron James try to carry that roster last year. Maybe they don't win 14 games, but I doubt that's a serious playoff-bound team. You need talent in the NBA, and without it, your best player is going to be in spacing hell.

Cunningham dealt with that game after game last year. Even in those brutal stretches, light was still at the end of the tunnel if you squinted your eyes enough. He averaged 23 points and seven assists during their NBA-worst 28-game winning streak. Seven assists with this type of supporting cast was impressive.

When you put real NBA players in the rotation, Cunningham looks even better. He's up to almost 10 assists per game this season with the additions of Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley, and Tim Hardaway Jr. Defenses still sell out to stop Cunningham from scoring, but Beasley and company are making them pay. The Cunningham-Beasley partnership has been mutually beneficial as both are having career years. Beasley has been hovering in the top 5 for 3s made all year, and he's been a 40 percent sniper. He's always been a great shooter, but Cunningham is maximizing him. We've seen the Cunningham-to-Beasley connection 61 times this season. Ausar Thompson was Cade's best connection last year at 54 times.

Thompson, Ivey, Jalen Duren, and Isaiah Stewart were pivotal players in last year's debacle, and they all got better. Thompson is still that all-around defensive menace — he's growing as a shooter, and if he really hits, he could be an All-NBA player one day. Ivey was coming into his own before a gruesome injury; his jump shot leap was real. Duren and Stew are great at different things but add spice to the Pistons' dish.

Cunningham is also maximizing all these players. He's an All-Star conductor making the most of what's around him, and he's just flat-out gotten better. He shot 33 percent on pull-up 3s last year compared to 38 percent now. Teams pay for going under, and he's more aggressive firing 3s, seeing all types of coverages.

His finishing around the rim still needs improvement, but that will come as he adds strength and picks better angles. His whistle should improve as his stardom grows. He's fifth in the NBA in drives but has a .22 FT rate. The math isn't matching up. Cunningham was always a superstar in the making, and hopefully, you could see that even though his team wasn't thriving.