No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham will make his NBA debut on Saturday as the Detroit Pistons host the Orlando Magic, head coach Dwane Casey said prior to the contest.
Cunningham suffered a sprained right ankle at the beginning of training camp and has not played with the Pistons to this point of the season. The team opted to ease Cunningham back into action as he made steady progress since initially suffering the injury.
He is expected to log between 20-25 minutes versus the Magic and play in short bursts. Casey would not say if Cunningham would start in the contest but added that he is on a strict minute count and could not play longer than 25 minutes.
Cade Cunningham will play tonight versus the Magic, Pistons head coach Dwane Casey said. He will be on a 20-25 minute count and will play shorter bursts tonight. Casey would not say if he'll start.
— Cody Taylor (@CodyTaylorNBA) October 30, 2021
Cunningham practiced this week with the Motor City Cruise in Detroit and had the opportunity to participate in extended runs with the team. The team opted to wait until Saturday to make a determination on his status as the medical staff had the final say.
With Cunningham set to debut, Casey tempered expectations. The team does not want to put too much pressure on him; it knows the expectations that come with being a No. 1 overall pick, especially one as highly touted as Cunningham.
Cunningham handled the injury situation very well, and now has the opportunity to finally hit the court. Certainly, the team and fans alike can rejoice with their top pick set to play for the first time.
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