One of the main draws of the preseason is taking note of talented newcomers to the NBA. More if possible when a litter of young people comes as excited as that of this 2021 and is headed by a name like Cade Cunningham. However, the number one of the last draft has not yet played a minute of training camp because of a right ankle injury. And everything indicates that it is most likely that he will end up missing the entire preseason. Yesterday his coach Dwayne Casey reiterated the little rush the franchise has to get him back.
Cunningham suffered the injury early in the Pistons’ camp and hasn’t even trained with the team ever since. We’re not rushing him. When I come back [a entrenar] it doesn’t mean you’re ready to go out and play. It is too valuable to us. Whenever it is, we will sit down with his team, the medical team and Troy Weaver to weave a plan of return » clarified Casey. The coach made it clear that Cade will need at least two or three workouts at peak performance to be prepared. «The boy has lost valuable time getting used to the speed and physicality of the game. The systems, the referees. You can take notes from the band, but until you’re a part of it you don’t get the idea. “
Obviously, there is still no official date for Cunningham’s return to team dynamics and even less for his debut. But six days before the 21-22 season begins, the most logical thing would be to think that one of the young people who have generated the most expectation in recent times will not be able to play from the beginning.
(Cover photo by Ethan Miller / Getty Images)