Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham is expected to rejoin the Eastern Conference leaders against the visiting Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. Cunningham has missed 11 games with a collapsed lung and is officially listed as questionable, yet is expected to play, according to Vincent Goodwill of ESPN.
Goodwill reported Cunningham’s status earlier on social media, underlining the significance of the guard’s comeback for Detroit’s run-in.The update arrives as Detroit fine-tunes its rotation ahead of the final regular-season stretch.Cade Cunningham is expected to make his return this evening for the Detroit Pistons after missing time with an injured lung, sources tell ESPNVincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) April 8, 2026
Detroit handled Cunningham’s absence effectively, going 8-3 over the 11 games without the lead guard. That run took the Pistons to a 57-22 record and secured the Eastern Conference’s top seed. They also sealed their first Central Division crown since the 2007-08
season with Saturday’s 116-93 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Before the injury, Cunningham ranked 13th in the NBA in scoring with 24.5 points per game. Cunningham stood second in assists at 9.9 per game and shot 34.6 per cent from three-point range. The fifth-year guard is also averaging 5.6 assists and a career-best 1.48 steals, highlighting an MVP-calibre campaign.
Cunningham is 24 and in the middle of his best season, yet awards will not follow. Even if Cunningham features in Detroit’s remaining three fixtures, the guard will finish one game short of the NBA’s 65-game requirement for end-of-season honours, leaving that statistical profile without official recognition.
The injury itself occurred on 17 March in a win against the Washington Wizards, when Cunningham collided with Tre Johnson while chasing a loose ball. The contact led to a collapsed lung, and Cunningham has not played since. His expected return against Milwaukee restores Detroit’s primary creator just as the postseason approaches.
Cunningham’s comeback offers Detroit an opportunity to blend recent depth performances with the usual offensive focal point. The Pistons already hold the East’s best record and a division title, and Wednesday’s meeting with the Bucks now doubles as a key step in rebuilding rhythm around Cunningham ahead of the playoffs.
