The Pistons need another elite scorer next to Cade Cunningham this offseason. Detroit won 60 games and finished first in the East in 2025-26, but Cunningham’s playoff workload showed how much of the offense still ran through him, from his 23.9 points and 9.9 assists per game in the regular season to Detroit’s 60-22 finish atop the conference.
Cunningham carried that burden into the postseason. He scored 45 points in Game 5 against Orlando, then added 32 in both Game 6 and Game 7, a stretch that reinforced how often the Pistons needed him to create the answer late in games.
Playoff pressure exposed the roster need
Half-court offense became the issue when defenses loaded up on Cunningham. The Pistons’ postseason flaws centered on the supporting cast and the lack of enough scoring relief around their lead guard, a problem that stayed in focus through the playoff exit and the roster questions that followed, as reflected in Detroit’s offseason outlook and the overtime loss to Cleveland detailed here.
Detroit does not simply need more points on paper. The fit calls for a guard or wing who can attack a tilted defense, run a second-side pick-and-roll, and get a clean look when Cunningham gives the ball up. That would let Cunningham work off the catch more often instead of opening every late-clock possession himself.
Cap space gives Detroit room to act
Money is part of the reason this question is front and center. Detroit was projected for up to $27.9 million in cap space, putting the Pistons among the teams with real spending flexibility this summer.
The contract sheet also sharpens the type of player that makes sense. Cunningham is already on a five-year extension running through 2029, and Detroit also carries notable money tied to Tobias Harris, Duncan Robinson, and Caris LeVert. That setup points toward a scorer who complements Cunningham instead of duplicating him.
The role is clear even if the target is not
A strong fit for the Pistons would slide into lineups as a starting or closing creator who can handle the ball without shrinking the floor. Robinson’s spacing has more value if another scorer can force help. LeVert fits better as a secondary option if Detroit adds a higher-level shot maker ahead of him in the pecking order.
Training camp could put one Pistons roster question right at the center of the season’s opening month: does Detroit find a scorer who closes next to Cunningham, or does that role stay with LeVert while Robinson fights for minutes in offense-heavy lineups?