NBA MVP candidate, 24, diagnosed with collapsed lung as playoffs near: report

As the Detroit Pistons person abruptly go a contender for the NBA title, their champion subordinate volition beryllium missing for the foreseeable future.

Cade Cunningham, who has thrust his sanction into the MVP conversation, has been diagnosed with a collapsed lung, according to ESPN, and is expected to miss an extended play of time.

The 24-year-old was the archetypal wide prime 5 years agone retired of Oklahoma State and has lived up to the billing, averaging 22.6 points, 7.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds per crippled successful his career.

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Detroit Pistons defender Cade Cunningham (2) looks connected during the archetypal fractional against the Washington Wizards astatine Capital One Arena.  (Daniel Kucin Jr./Imagn Images)

He has deed different level successful the past 2 seasons, though, being named an All-Star each clip — past year, helium finished seventh successful the MVP vote. Since the commencement of the 2024-25 season, he's enactment up 25.4 points, 5.8 boards and 9.5 assists per contest.

Cunningham has seen the trials and tribulations of the Pistons, arsenic it was conscionable 3 seasons agone erstwhile they acceptable the all-time grounds for the longest losing streak successful NBA past astatine 28 games and finished 14-68 nether Monty Williams, who had conscionable signed, astatine the time, the richest declaration for an NBA manager successful history.

Detroit Pistons defender Cade Cunningham (2) celebrates during the archetypal fractional of an NBA hoops crippled against the Indiana Pacers successful Indianapolis, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025.  (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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But the pursuing season, the Pistons earned the sixth effect successful the Eastern Conference earlier losing to the New York Knicks successful the archetypal round. However, they've taken the adjacent measurement and are moving distant with the East with a 49-19 record, bully for a 3.5-game pb successful the league up of the Boston Celtics. The Knicks are 5 games back.

The playoffs are acceptable to statesman connected April 18, meaning Cunningham's first-round availability is surely up successful the air. For context, C.J. McCollum missed astir 2 months with the diagnosis successful 2021 and astir 1 period 2 years later.

Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons handles the shot during the crippled against the Utah Jazz connected Dec. 21, 2023, astatine Little Caesars Arena successful Detroit, Michigan. (Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images)

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So, it figures that if the Pistons marque a run, Cunningham could instrumentality — but erstwhile surely remains a question.

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