Cunningham Starts Hot, Pistons Fall in Summer League Opener

Cade Cunningham took like a fish to water in the opening minutes of his professional debut before running into some rookie struggles.

The Detroit Pistons fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 76-72 in the NBA Summer League on Sunday night in Las Vegas. Cunningham finished the game with 12 points, doing so on an inefficient 5-for-17 shooting.

But the No. 1 pick and former Oklahoma State standout started hot, hitting his first two shots, both coming from 3-point range.

Those would be the only 3s he made in the contest, finishing 2-for-7 from behind the arc.

Showing his versatility, Cunningham added six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals. One of his takeaways led to a smooth dunk at the other end.

It was an interesting first look at what Cunningham looks like in the backcourt with Pistons guard Killian Hayes. How the two would coexist has been a hot topic surrounding the Pistons since they were awarded the No. 1 pick.

The Pistons return to action Tuesday night against the Houston Rockets. The game will be hyped up as Cunningham takes on No. 2 pick Jalen Green.

Other Pokes in the Summer League

Cameron McGriff, Charlotte Hornets: Despite making the Hornets Summer League roster, McGriff did not dress for the team’s 93-86 loss to the Portland Trailblazers.

Kendall Smith, Golden State Warriors: Smith was selected to the Warriors roster. Golden State takes on the Orlando Magic at 7 p.m. Monday on ESPN3.

Jawun Evans, Utah Jazz: Evans isn’t on the Jazz’s Las Vegas roster, but did play with the the Utah Jazz White team in the Salt Lake City Summer League. Evans’ team beat Utah Jazz Blue 83-65. However, Evans played only eight minutes where he had two points and an assist.