Things are looking bright for the young Detroit Pistons . Through the first 12 games of the season, the Pistons are the number one seed in the East with a 10-2 record, and they're on an impressive eight-game winning streak. Spearheading this Motor City resurgence is fifth-year guard Cade Cunningham , who's blossoming into a bona fide star in the league, one that the Pistons have been seeking for the past few decades or so.
If Cunningham and the Pistons continue to develop at this rate, former NBA star and content creator Gilbert Arenas believes that Detroit could be a legitimate contender in the coming years.
"If they keep tweaking the roster for [Cunningham's] talent, that is the type of team that two years from now, they're gonna be like 'Yo, they kinda favorites. They might come out of the East,' " Arenas said , discussing the Pistons' situation on an episode of Gil's Arena alongside fellow former NBA stars-turned-analysts Kenyon Martin and Brandon Jennings .
While Arenas is looking towards the future, Martin believes that this could be the Pistons' season.
"The East is down this year. Get off to a hot start, December, you still [have] single-digit losses heading into the new year, hey man, that's a scary young team because they don't know no better," Martin explained. "And they got a coach over there that's put a battery in their back, and he's not accepting anything less than play hard, defend, and f—k your opponent."
The way things are shaping up, Cunningham is on track for a career year. Currently, the 6'6'' guard is putting up 27.5 points and 9.9 assists — both career high marks — alongside 5.4 boards per game.
Cunningham's play has earned him high praise from experts and even comparisons to some of the league's top stars like Luka Doncic .
"The NBA is tailor-made for him, his size, his position, he does all the things that Luka can do, with athleticism," Martin stated.
Martin also echoed Cunningham's sentiments about Detroit believing in their star player.
"He's playing in a city that's gonna ride with him, Detroit Basketball, baby," Martin added.
Jennings added that he sees Cunningham taking on a bigger role, not just for Detroit basketball, but also for USA Basketball.
"I think he is the future point guard for the USA team in 2028, and he has to take a lot of the load on the team," he explained.
To make it to the proverbial "Promised Land", the Pistons will definitely have to rely on their stars in Cunningham, Jalen Duren , and Ausar Thompson . However, what separates the good teams from the great teams is their ability to win, even without their biggest guns. The question now is, given their current construction, do the Pistons have a great group?
If their gutsy win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night was any indication, it sure looks like they have a team that's deep enough to compete. Playing without Cunningham, Duren, Thompson, Tobias Harris , and Jaden Ivey , the Pistons took down a tough Chicago Bulls team behind big games from Paul Reed , Duncan Robinson , and Daniss Jenkins .
Reed put up a monster 28 point-13 13-rebound double-double, while Robinson added 23 points on seven made threes. Jenkins, who had to step in as lead playmaker, finished with an incredible 18 points and 12 assists.
While it's just a one-game sample size, it's still a promising sign to see that even with their best players sidelined, this Pistons squad can pull out a win. With a fully healthy lineup, the ceiling for the boys from the Motor City is the finals, or possibly even a title.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 14, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
