Cade Cunningham isn’t mincing words, man. The Pistons star point guard just flat-out said Detroit is “a little slept on,” even after they snagged the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs last year, shocking everyone. Yeah, you heard that right, the top spot in the East. But Cunningham feels like the league, and maybe even the entire sports world, still isn’t giving them the credit they’ve earned, and he’s totally okay with Detroit embracing that underdog role again.
“We’re a Little Slept On, Man”
Seriously, after winning 60 games in the 2025-26 season and securing home court advantage through the East, you’d think the Pistons would be getting some serious hype. But nah, Cunningham spoke to the media after practice and straight-up addressed the lack of buzz around his squad. He said, “I still feel like we’re a little slept on, man. I still feel like people don’t really give us the credit that maybe we’ve earned. But again, that’s the beauty of it. I think that’s part of being in Detroit.” It’s that Detroit mentality, right? They thrive on proving people wrong. The Pistons are bringing back pretty much their whole crew from last year, plus they added John Collins to the starting unit, hoping he can unleash even more offensive firepower. If the rest of the league ain’t buying it, so be it.
The East Just Got Absolutely Bonkers
Now, Cunningham isn’t wrong about people sleeping on them. DraftKings has Detroit’s odds to win the NBA Finals tied for seventh-best overall, and that’s behind *four* other Eastern Conference teams. Four! And get this, the over/under for Pistons wins is set at 48.5. That’s a full 11.5 wins less than they stacked up last season. Talk about a lack of faith, right? It’s true the Eastern Conference is looking like an absolute gauntlet this season. You’ve got the defending-champion New York Knicks rolling back almost their entire team, which is a beast in itself. But then you look around: the Miami Heat went out and snagged Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Toronto Raptors added Kawhi Leonard. And the Philadelphia 76ers, not to be outdone, brought in *both* Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. That’s just wild. The Pistons will have their work cut out for them, no doubt.
This season is gonna be a massive test for Cunningham’s whole “slept on” theory. If the Pistons manage to hit 60 wins again and claw their way to the top seed in the East, you can bet your bottom dollar nobody, and I mean nobody, will be sleeping on them anymore. The stage is set, the doubters are loud, and Cunningham sounds more than ready for the challenge. Let’s see if they can shock the world again.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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