Cade Cunningham, the Detroit Pistons’ talented point guard, has emerged as a notable contender in the 2023-24 NBA MVP race, boasting the seventh-shortest odds at 60-1, according to ESPN BET. Cunningham went on to have an immensely impactful season, bringing the stagnant franchise back to the playoffs for the first time since his arrival. His stellar play has sparked discussions about his chances to win the most sought after individual award in sports—MVP. Throughout the course of the season, analysts will continue to pay attention to his individual production and the Pistons’ collective success.
As fate would have it, Cunningham was indeed chosen with the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. His arrival at least marked the beginning of a franchise turning point. It had languished in recent years and often threatened with lottery doom. Last season, he cracked the 64 games threshold for the first time in his career. This accomplishment proved he could be a key player day in and day out on the hardwood. His leadership and skills were crucial to turning the Pistons from a lottery team into contenders in the playoffs.
The Competition for MVP
Even with that very exciting trajectory, Cunningham has some serious competition for the MVP award. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ranked fourth in the NBA in scoring last season, averaging a blistering 32.7 points per game. He dished out 6.4 assists and pulled down 5.0 rebounds per game. His remarkable performance propelled him to second in the MVP rankings for the 2023-24 season. Right now, he’s the favorite to win again, sitting at +225 odds.
Victor Wembanyama is taking the league by storm early this season. He’s doing so while averaging an utterly outrageous 33.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 6.0 assists on a per game basis. His stellar performance has him in close range of an MVP title too, with odds of +275. Don’t sleep on Nikola Jokic, a former MVP winner and still one of the toughest competitors around. His number sits at +375 this year.
Cunningham will have to raise his level of play a couple of notches to be in the same conversation as these other top-tier talents. He is a perennial contributor of gaudy box-score numbers. Meanwhile, he’s leading the Pistons to a playoff spot that’s higher than the play-in line of the Eastern Conference, something that’ll be crucial to his case for MVP.
The Path Forward for Cunningham and the Pistons
For Cunningham to even be in serious MVP consideration, he will need to take his game up a notch individually this season. Most analysts think he’s got enough gas in the tank to take the Pistons—fifth seed last year—to one of the top seeds this season. If he is successful, he will set off huge momentum for the MVP award. Though the East is competitive in its own right, Cunningham faces the best chance to break through.
His performance last season speaks for itself. The dearth of hard numbers allows plenty of room for conjecture regarding his upside. The consensus among experts is that it may take another couple of seasons for Cunningham to reach the highest levels of individual performance needed to contend for the MVP award consistently.
As he navigates this season, Cunningham’s focus will be on refining his skills and improving his team’s overall performance. The Pistons’ success will be pivotal not only for their playoff aspirations but for Cunningham’s status in the MVP conversation.
The Future is Bright
Cade Cunningham has a long and fruitful road ahead of him in the NBA. Since his electric debut with multiple must-see plays for the Bears, Fields has had a series of breakout games that get fans and media salivating. Even with all this talent, cracking the MVP conversation needs more than talent. It needs consistency and success from the team on the whole.
The early odds capture the balance of optimism and obstacles that lie in front of him. As the season progresses, fans will be watching closely to see if Cunningham can step his game up in order to lead the young Pistons team. If he continues this level of play he might make himself an MVP candidate. Keeping on that path will be the most important thing for his success in upcoming seasons.
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