Pistons guard Cade Cunningham left Tuesday’s game against the Wizards in the first quarter due to back spasms, according to Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press.
He asked to be subbed out with 6:40 remaining. Just before that, Cunningham collided with Wizards rookie Tre Johnson while chasing a loose ball, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff did not provide an update on his status after the game. Detroit still earned a 130-117 win over the Wizards, led by a career-high 36 points from Jalen Duren.
Cunningham is averaging 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5.6 assists this season and needs four more games to meet the NBA’s 65-game eligibility rule. The Pistons have 14 games left.
They will face Washington again on Thursday before starting a four-game homestand against Golden State on Friday.
If Cunningham misses time, Marcus Sasser and Daniss Jenkins will take over playmaking duties – they combined for 24 points and 11 assists Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, we’ve dealt with a lot this season and had to call on different guys throughout the year,” Bickerstaff said, per Patterson. “Tonight was an opportunity to do that, give guys minutes and give guys opportunities to see what they could do.”
Earlier Tuesday, Detroit also announced that Isaiah Stewart will miss at least a week with a calf strain.
“The most important thing is health and habits,” Bickerstaff said of the postseason push. “We’ve got to make sure … we’re doing things right on the off days … to get guys opportunities to get on the floor … That’s priority number one for us.”
Pistons All-Star Cade Cunningham Exits Early Due To Back Spasms https://t.co/oSmw4IZyUQ pic.twitter.com/TyfeNqVEdn
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) March 18, 2026
