Cade Cunningham Should Not be Named the NBA's Most Improved Player
The All-Star guard was an electrifying talent long before the national media began to take notice.
Following half a decade in the Eastern Conference’s cellar, the Detroit Pistons are a winning team this year. With winning comes national attention, and with national attention comes award consideration.
The Pistons are in the midst of their best campaign since the 2007-08 season, back when the roster had the likes of Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton. And the NBA knows it. Detroit has received more national attention this season than in the last decade combined.
Outside of the franchise’s blockbuster trade for Blake Griffin, the drafting of Cade Cunningham, or the occasional 20-point, 20-rebound masterclass from Andre Drummond, the Pistons have largely been out of the spotlight since the Goin’ to Work era. That has all changed this season, as Detroit has finally put together a balanced roster capable of winning a playoff series.
As a result, several individuals from the team have received recognition in award races. J.B. Bickerstaff and Malik Beasley both sit in second place for Coach of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year, respectively. Meanwhile, Cade Cunningham is currently the favorite to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player award in what has undoubtedly been the best season of his career.
At this point in the season, it seems unlikely that either Bickerstaff or Beasley will be able to surpass Cleveland’s Kenny Atkinson or Boston’s Payton Pritchard, who have both built sizable advantages in their respective races in recent weeks. Cleveland has put together a historic season, but it’s hard to argue against a coach leading one of the greatest turnarounds in league history. It’s also hard to argue against a sixth-man who is on pace to sink 300 three-pointers this season.
However, it’s not hard to argue against Cade Cunningham being named Most Improved Player (MIP).
There’s no doubt that Cade has improved this year, as he’s increased his averages across the board. He was named to the first All-Star team of his career and could even receive an All-NBA nod.
So what’s the issue?
The problem is that Cunningham has been putting together consistently masterful performances since his rookie year.
Of course, he has added plenty to his game in each of his three (full) NBA seasons. But it’s been steady progress, not a standout jump that just happened this season.
Cade’s standing in the MIP race is directly correlated with Detroit’s success this season and the national attention that has come with it. Yes, the Pistons are much better than they ever were throughout Cade’s first three years in the league. But is that because he suddenly became an All-Star, or because the franchise finally surrounded him with talent that allows him to play at his best?
My belief is the latter.
Cunningham has dialed in his playmaking and scoring this season, but has also suffered a career-high in turnovers as a result. This was a natural expectation, though, considering his top-three usage rate - but a 23-year-old former first overall pick improving is a natural expectation, too. Cade has experienced modest bumps in scoring (22.7 points in 2023-24 to 25.7 in 2024-25), rebounding (4.3 to 6.1), and playmaking (7.5 assists to 9.2). But when it comes down to it, he just isn’t the league’s Most Improved Player.
Cunningham currently has a modest -230 lead for the award on FanDuel over second-place Dyson Daniels (+170) of the Atlanta Hawks. This race could certainly switch hands in the closing weeks of the season and, for the sanctity of the award, it should.
In recent years, the NBA has fallen into a habit of giving MIP to a young player who was already expected to improve. Tyrese Maxey (2023-24), Ja Morant (2021-22), and Brandon Ingram (2019-20) fall into this category. All three players improved, but it was expected growth from former top draft picks. Daniels is in just his third season, but his eye-popping development was far from expected after he was a throw-in for the New Orleans’ acquisition of Dejounte Murray.
Daniels has served as a starter all season in Atlanta after starting just 16 contests for the Pelicans last year. Now, he’s cemented himself as part of the franchise’s future as a capable scorer and arguably the league’s best perimeter defender. His scoring has skyrocketed (5.8 PPG to 13.9 PPG), but it’s his defensive impact that has made “The Great Barrier Thief” a household name this season. He leads the NBA in steals and has even been mentioned in the Defensive Player of the Year race despite guards rarely receiving consideration.
Los Angeles Clippers wing Norman Powell was another reasonable option for the award before missing nearly a month due to injury. The veteran guard was posting the best campaign of his career in his 10th NBA season, improving his scoring average from 13.9 PPG to a career-best 22.7. Powell has been a driving force of the Clippers’ playoff hopes alongside perennial star James Harden.
When it comes down to it though, we root for the Detroit Pistons. If Cunningham brings home Most Improved Player after receiving national attention for the first time since being drafted, it will be well deserved. But it also sends a message that the award is no longer reserved for role players who turn into top-tier starters: it’s for stars who transform their franchise and become superstars in the process.