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The Detroit Pistons got a first glimpse of their future as Cade Cunningham made his debut in the NBA Summer League on Sunday.
Detroit lost 76-72 to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and Cunningham won’t be headed to the Hall of Fame off the back of just one summer league game. He finished with 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting while adding six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. He also totaled five turnovers.
The 6’8″ playmaker got off to a strong start, hitting a pair of three-pointers in the first quarter.
Beyond the obvious reasons, summer league may not be a great showcase for Cunningham because so much of his game stems from getting his teammates involved. Building continuity is difficult for a team that’s just coming together, and one that will be different from the roster the Pistons are throwing out on opening night.
Praising a player’s effort level can sometimes be damning with faint praise. In the case of Cunningham, it’s a solid indicator of what fans can expect as he works through the issues that are inevitable for any first-year star.
He started a one-man fast break in the third quarter after picking the pocket of Tre Mann.
Cunningham wasn’t the only notable Pistons rookie in action as Luka Garza made his Detroit debut.
Second-round picks generally don’t find a ton of success in the NBA, but Garza was a two-time first-team All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year at Iowa.
The 6’11” big man was noticeably slimmer from the 265 pounds he was listed at in his final year with the Hawkeyes.
Garza made a nice first impression in his 12:59 on the floor, putting up nine points and four rebounds.
Cunningham, Garza and the Pistons will be back on the court Tuesday against the Houston Rockets in what might be the most anticipated matchup of the summer league. Jalen Green, the No. 2 pick in the draft, put up 23 points and five rebounds as Houston beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 84-76 on Sunday.
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