DETROIT — Tim Hardaway Jr. intends to sign a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets, a source confirmed to The Detroit News on Tuesday, following ESPN’s initial report. His departure marked the end of his one-year stint with the Detroit Pistons.

Hardaway joined the Pistons in July 2024 after being traded from the Dallas Mavericks. During his time with the team, he appeared in 77 games and averaged 11.0 points per game, shooting 40.6% from the field.

He played a significant role in improving the Pistons’ lackluster 3-point shooting from the previous year. Hardaway made the second-most 3-pointers on the team — trailing only Malik Beasley — hitting 168 shots on 36.8% shooting from behind the arc.

His best game of the season came during the Pistons’ 133-122 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 28. He scored a season-high 32 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field, 7-of-11 from behind the arc. Although he played a crucial role in the Pistons’ on-court success, Hardaway was equally instrumental in transforming the team’s subpar culture through his veteran leadership.

Prior to Hardaway’s departure, Dennis Schröder and the Sacramento Kings had agreed to a deal, which ended Schröder’s brief tenure in Detroit. The deal was reported by multiple national writers, including ESPN’s Shams Charania and Yahoo! Sports’ Vincent Goodwill.

Though Schröder’s time with the Pistons was brief, the veteran point guard was one of the most important figures in the team’s success. After landing in Detroit at the trade deadline, Schröder became everything the Pistons envisioned.

In need of a secondary ball-handler and scorer, Schröder became a trade target after the Pistons lost Jaden Ivey for the season due to a leg injury in January. He was acquired as part of the five-team trade that landed the Golden State Warriors Jimmy Butler III. In addition to Schröder, Detroit also obtained Lindy Waters III in the deal.

“When J.I. went out, we felt like we needed another guy who we could put the ball in his hands and he could go out and make reads and make plays,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said in April. “He has been tremendous for us.”

Schröder became a productive role player as soon as he stepped onto the court, averaging 10.8 points and 5.3 assists across 28 games. During the Pistons’ six-game first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, he maintained his production amid averages of 12.5 points, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals.

Sacramento will be Schröder’s 10th NBA team.

On the eve of the NBA draft, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paraded through the streets of Oklahoma City, shirtless and with a Canadian flag wrapped around his waist. Joy finally infiltrated his cool and quiet demeanor. He swaggered about, embracing being The Man, leaning into his full superstar identity: champion, deadly scorer, regular season and Finals MVP, the latest player born outside the United States to stake a claim as the best hooper in the world.

Consider the scene a prologue to the NBA story of Cooper Flagg, the 18-year-old with sky-born ability who enters the league as the new great American hope in an era ruled by international stars.

It shouldn’t matter, yet it does. The NBA is still an American league, regardless of whether its alpha star hails from New York City or French Lick, Indiana; Athens, Greece, or Sombor, Serbia. Basketball globalization has helped make the sport more lucrative, epitomized by the news last week that a majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers will be sold at a record-setting $10 billion valuation. Nevertheless, this nation’s roundball ego won’t allow the game to diversify without concern that our players are losing their edge.

It’s never simply amazing that the game has grown across so many borders that Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo have driven the bus for three of the past five champions. The discourse always includes criticism that America doesn’t have sufficient representation among the best of the best.

The depth of U.S. talent remains untouchable, which is why Team USA has won five straight Olympic gold medals. But the hierarchy is changing. It’s most noticeable at the MVP level, where the award has gone to foreign-born players the past seven years. An American hasn’t finished in the top three of MVP voting since Stephen Curry placed third in 2021.

On Wednesday night, when the Dallas Mavericks made the no-brainer decision to draft Flagg No. 1 overall, he stepped into the spotlight wearing a dark blue three-piece suit and a black tie. A goatee in training decorated his face. The hairy effort only added to his boyish charm.

Flagg, who won’t turn 19 until December, has experienced hype for the past four years. He keeps proving worthy of the attention. His reputation rose to a preposterous level last summer after he impressed during scrimmages with Team USA as it prepared for the Paris Olympics. Then he went to Duke, won national player of the year as a freshman and led the Blue Devils to the Final Four.

Now in the NBA, his development will mean much to the perception of American pro ballers. It’s an unfair burden, but there’s hope that he can offset the dearth of 25-and-under American players capable of dominating the league. Anthony Edwards has MVP talent. But the other candidates, including Zion Williamson and Ja Morant, have struggled with injuries and off-court troubles.

In every generation, there are only a handful of stars who can define an era. Because the Williamson generation has yet to step forward, aging stars such as LeBron James, Curry and Kevin Durant have lingered as the standard for too long. As a result, the 35-year-old James Harden is the youngest former American MVP in the league. Jaylen Brown, 28, is the only active American Finals MVP under 30. But despite being a four-time all-star and the first NBA player to sign a $300 million contract, Brown is not a top-shelf star.

Does Flagg have the game and magnetism to be the alpha star? He might, but he’s not the once-every-two-decades prospect that James and Victor Wembanyama were. His skill set is a notch below, but with his drive and competitiveness, Flagg still might rule the league.

During a media session after Dallas selected him, a reporter asked Flagg if he will try to win a championship as a rookie. It’s a feat that a No. 1 pick hasn’t accomplished since Magic Johnson did it 45 years ago. Yet Flagg refused to admit the thought was unrealistic.

“Of course,” he said. “Of course, yeah. My mindset has always been to be a winner. So I’m going to try to win as hard as I can everywhere I go. I’m looking forward to being successful and winning a lot of games, for sure.”

As a public figure, Flagg can be robotic and a little shy. But even in those moments, you notice hints of charisma. On the court, his personality shines. He has an intensity that complements his athleticism. He’s a highlight dunk or blocked shot waiting to happen. His game defies racial stereotypes, which will enhance his marketability.

The question about the kid from Newport, Maine, has never been whether he would be a significant player. The debate centers on how big a star can be. For the sake of basketball discourse in this country, he needs to be more than the safe pick.

After Gilgeous-Alexander won the MVP, ESPN led a chorus of “What’s wrong with American basketball?” Most of the conversation veered into tropes about the soft and spoiled athletes.

“Most of these successful international guys either are influenced heavily by American basketball culture, played high school ball in America, some even went to college here,” Durant wrote on X in May. “This whole convo is trash, basketball is a universal language, some people have different dialect. Some states teach the game different than other states, who says there’s a perfect way to teach the game?’”

The basketball culture has its problems. But some of the criticism lacks depth. It’s irresponsible to scream crisis when 12 of the 15 players named to the 2025 all-NBA teams were Americans. But the three others – Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic and Antetokounmpo – are the best players in the league.

And Luka Doncic probably has a couple of MVP seasons in him.

And Wembanyama is something we’ve never seen.

That’s just five international superstars, but they’re enough to take every spot-on the all-NBA first team.

When the 2024-25 season began, a record-tying 125 players from other countries made the opening night rosters. That’s about a quarter of the league. But there’s so much talent among those players that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is formulating a USA-vs.-World format at the 2026 All-Star Game.

The U.S. could use some of Flagg’s fearlessness. When Edwards was asked last season about being the face of the NBA, he declared, “That’s what they got Wemby for.” If his honesty was refreshing, his resignation was shocking. Edwards wants to hoop without responsibility. But the NBA was built on legends who welcomed the task of carrying the league.

America needs to replenish its talent at the highest tier of NBA stardom. Flagg doesn’t back down from any challenge. An entire nation now hopes his game matches his mentality.

DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons selected guard Chaz Lanier with the No. 37 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft Thursday night.

Lanier, 23, adds depth to the Pistons’ backcourt, averaging 18.0 points on 39.5% shooting from behind the arc in his only season at Tennessee. He finished the 2024-25 season ranked fourth in 3-point shooting percentage in the nation.

Lanier came into the draft with five years of college experience. Before transferring to Tennessee, the 6-foot-4 guard played four seasons at North Florida. He appeared in 104 games with 49 starts for the Ospreys.

Lanier’s best season came during the 2023-24 campaign, when he notched a career-high 19.7 points on 51.0% shooting from the field and 44.0% from behind the arc, along with 4.8 rebounds.

Lanier, a native of Nashville, was named First Team All-SEC in 2025 and First Team All-Atlantic Sun in 2024.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander walked off the court for the final time this season, collapsed into the arms of coach Mark Daigneault and finally smiled.

It was over.

The climb is complete. The rebuild is done. The Oklahoma City Thunder are champions.

The best team all season was the best team at the end, bringing the NBA title to Oklahoma City for the first time. Gilgeous-Alexander finished off his MVP season with 29 points and 12 assists, and the Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers — who lost Tyrese Haliburton to a serious leg injury in the opening minutes — 103-91 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night.

“It doesn’t feel real,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, the Finals MVP. “So many hours. So many moments. So many emotions. So many nights of disbelief. So many nights of belief. It’s crazy to know that we’re all here, but this group worked for it. This group put in the hours and we deserve this.”

Jalen Williams scored 20 points and Chet Holmgren had 18 for the Thunder, who finished off a season for the ages. Oklahoma City won 84 games between the regular season and the playoffs, tying the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls for third most in any season.

Only Golden State (88 in 2016-17) and the Bulls (87 in 2015-16) won more.

It’s the second championship for the franchise. The Seattle SuperSonics won the NBA title in 1979; the team was moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. There’s nothing in the rafters in Oklahoma City to commemorate that title.

In October, a championship banner is finally coming. A Thunder banner.

The Pacers led 48-47 at the half even after losing Haliburton to what his father said was an Achilles tendon injury about seven minutes into the game. But they were outscored 34-20 in the third quarter as the Thunder built a 13-point lead and began to run away.

Bennedict Mathurin had 24 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana, which still is waiting for its first NBA title. The Pacers — who were 10-15 after 25 games and were bidding to be the first team in NBA history to turn that bad of a start into a championship — had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the series, but they simply didn’t have enough in the end.

Home teams improved to 16-4 in NBA Finals Game 7s. And the Thunder became the seventh champion in the last seven seasons, a run of parity like none other in NBA history.

Pacers forward Pascal Siakam was part of the Toronto team that won in 2019, Thunder guard Alex Caruso was part of the Los Angeles Lakers team that won in the pandemic “bubble” in 2020, Milwaukee won in 2021, Golden State in 2022, Pacers forward Thomas Bryant and Denver prevailed in 2023, and Boston won last year’s title.

And now, the Thunder get their turn. The youngest team to win a title in nearly a half-century has reached the NBA mountaintop.

The Thunder are the ninth franchise to win a title in NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s 12 seasons. His predecessor, David Stern, saw eight franchises win titles in his 30 seasons as commissioner.

“They behave like champions. They compete like champions,” Daigneault said. “They root for each other’s success, which is rare in professional sports. I’ve said it many times and now I’m going to say it one more time. They are an uncommon team and now they’re champions.”

— By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Basketball Writer

The Houston Rockets are acquiring 15-time All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in a blockbuster deal struck Sunday, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press.

The Rockets are giving up Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green and six future picks — including the No. 10 selection in Wednesday’s opening round of this year’s draft — according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was still pending NBA approval.

It ends weeks of speculation about where Durant would end up. Many teams were involved at various times, including Miami and Minnesota, but in the end Phoenix accepted the Rockets’ offer.

ESPN first reported the trade.

Fans learned of the news while Durant was on stage in New York at Fanatics Fest NYC, and when they began reacting, Durant started smiling broadly.

“We’re gonna see, man,” Durant said from the stage. “We’re gonna see.”

Boardroom, the ever-growing media company that Durant and his business partner, Rich Kleiman, co-founded in 2019, teams up with Fanatics on a number of projects. The panel that Durant was set to appear on there Sunday was called “Global Game Changers.”

He certainly figures to change the game for the Rockets.

Houston finished No. 2 in the Western Conference in the regular season, albeit 16 games behind No. 1 Oklahoma City. It now adds a two-time champion to its young core as it looks to make another jump next season.

Durant averaged 26.6 points this season, his 17th in the NBA — not counting one year missed because of injury. For his career, the 6-foot-11 forward is averaging 27.2 points and seven rebounds per game.

The move brings Durant back to the state of Texas, where he played his one year of college basketball for the Longhorns and was the college player of the year before going as the No. 2 pick in the 2007 draft by Seattle.

Houston will become his fifth franchise, joining the SuperSonics (who then became the Oklahoma City Thunder), Golden State, Brooklyn and Phoenix. Durant won his two titles with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018, and last summer in Paris he became the highest-scoring player in U.S. Olympic basketball history and the first men’s player to be part of four gold-medal teams.

Durant is a four-time scoring champion, a two-time Finals MVP and one of eight players in NBA history with more than 30,000 career points, joining the club on Feb. 11.

Durant is under contract next season for roughly $50 million before becoming a free agent in 2026.

His departure from the Suns was expected and ends a disappointing 2 1/2 years in the desert. Durant never enjoyed consistent team success despite being part of a trio that included star guards Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

Durant was acquired by the Suns from the Brooklyn Nets in a four-team trade-deadline deal in 2023, just days after new owner Mat Ishbia bought the team for roughly $4 billion. Phoenix gave up a lot to acquire the then-34-year-old, sending young standouts Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, along with four future first-round picks, to Brooklyn.

___

— By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Basketball Writer

AP Sports Writer David Brandt in Phoenix contributed to this report.

DETROIT — Isiah Thomas stood at the top of the key at Veterans Memorial Coliseum after receiving an in-bounds pass from Dennis Rodman. Game 5 of the 1990 NBA Finals between the Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers was tied at 90 with 20 seconds remaining.

During the timeout, coach Chuck Daly designed a play for Thomas to take the potential game-winning shot against Terry Porter. But as soon as play resumed, the Hall-of-Fame point guard noticed something on the right side of the court that wasn’t just a testament to his greatness, but also the identity of the team.

“I noticed that Jerome Kersey was guarding Vinnie Johnson, and I said to myself, ‘He (Kersey) has no chance,’” Thomas told The Detroit News this week. “Vinnie had a better matchup than I had at that time. … It was about understanding the matchup rather than (thinking of) yourself. That’s what made us such a great team. We pride ourselves in doing what was best for the team, and not what’s best for the individual.”

Thomas’ decision set up Johnson to make a game-winning basket as time expired, resulting in the Pistons’ 92-90 victory and Detroit’s second straight NBA championship.

Johnson finished with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting off the bench in the championship game clincher, as his shot became one of the most iconic moments in franchise history.

This is the 35th anniversary of that game on June 14, 1990.

“That game, we were battling uphill the entire game, and Portland was playing well,” Thomas said. “Knowing Vinnie the way that I know him, he had gotten on a roll early in the fourth quarter to bring us back. I wanted to make sure that we had the last shot. I dribbled to the right side and kicked it out to Vinnie, and the rest is history.”

Thomas, who scored a game-high 29 points in the win, received Finals MVP with averages of 27.6 points, 7.0 assists and 1.6 steals during the five-game series. However, Bill Laimbeer may have played the most critical role.

The Trail Blazers recorded a 106-105 Game 2 victory at The Palace of Auburn Hills that tied the series at 1-1. The Pistons faced a daunting task when the Finals shifted to Portland. It was the first time the series used a 2-3-2 format and Detroit was in the midst of an extensive losing streak on the Trail Blazers’ home court.

But Laimbeer’s message ahead of the Pistons’ 121-106 Game 3 victory instilled great confidence in the team. The Pistons concluded the championship series with a three-game winning streak, holding the Trail Blazers to an average of 101.6 points per game.

“Your teammates have a way of picking you up, and Laimbeer was very vocal about how we would go there and win,” Thomas said. “We hadn’t won in Portland in like 20 years; the Blazers thought they would win all three games at home, but I believe we were the first team in the Finals to win three games on the opposing team’s home floor and close out a series. That’s how good we were.”

The Pistons’ 1990 championship title was part of a five-year period during which they dominated the league. Detroit entered the season at the pinnacle of its success, having won the franchise’s first title the previous year.

As defending champions, Thomas and his teammates believed that no team was playing better than they were at the time and vowed to remain committed to the philosophies that had established them as a great franchise since the 1986-87 campaign.

The Pistons had won an average of 56.3 regular-season games over the last three seasons while making back-to-back Finals appearances in 1988 and 1989. If not for Laimbeer’s controversial foul against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during the 1988 NBA Finals, the Pistons might have have been seeking their third straight title.

“During that period of time we honestly felt that we were the best team playing,” Thomas said. “From 1987 to 1990, no one was playing basketball better than us. Even though the (Los Angeles) Lakers and (Boston) Celtics, historically, were great teams, we felt that our team was just as good.

“So when 1990 came around, in our minds, we were going for our three-peat. If not for (Laimbeer’s) phantom foul we would have been the first team in that era to three-peat. For us, it was about being true to the game, being true to ourselves and living up to the expectations of being the best, going out and proving it every night.”

Despite facing injuries, the Pistons remained confident in winning their second consecutive Larry O’Brien Trophy. However, the most significant obstacle they faced was Rick Mahorn’s abrupt departure. Mahorn’s tenure with the Pistons ended during the 1989 expansion draft, when the Minnesota Timberwolves selected the veteran forward with the No. 2 pick.

“Without him we were less of a team,” Thomas said. “It hurt us defensively. It hurt our morale, but we still had an obligation to go out and be the best. No one could do the things or take the place of Rick Mahorn. For us, he was truly one of a kind, a once-in-a-lifetime player for us.”

The Pistons felt Mahorn’s absence but managed to maintain their dominance. They finished first in the Eastern Conference with a 59-23 record and carried their momentum into the playoffs, where they went 7-1 through the first two rounds, eliminating the Indiana Pacers (3-0) and New York Knicks (4-1).

Their most formidable challenge was an Eastern Conference Finals battle against the Chicago Bulls. However, they went on to defeat the Bulls in seven games, marking the third consecutive year they had eliminated their division rival.

Thomas averaged 20.5 points and 8.2 assists through the first three rounds, leading the Pistons to their third straight NBA Finals appearance. Joe Dumars notched 18.2 points while Laimbeer and Rodman led Detroit in rebounds, averaging 10.6 and 8.5, respectively.

“Every city that we visited, we felt it was our obligation to go out and perform, give the crowd the championship play they wanted to see,” Thomas said. “We approached every series like, ‘OK, it is only a matter of time before we beat you.’ I think our opponents knew that they were fighting an uphill battle and knew it was only a matter of time before they lost the series.”

If not for a few mistakes in Game 2 of the 1990 NBA Finals, the Pistons would have swept their opponents in the championship series for the second consecutive year. However, Detroit’s narrow one-point loss in Game 2 led to Thomas and Johnson becoming the faces of one of the league’s most iconic moments.

While Johnson’s shot secured the Pistons’ second consecutive championship, it also solidified the Bad Boys’ everlasting impact as one of the league’s most influential teams ever.

“I look at the way the game is played today, the team that had the most influence offensively and defensively had been the Detroit Pistons’ Bad Boys era,” Thomas said. “We were the first team to win back-to-back championships playing with three small guards out on the perimeter and a stretch five who can step out to the 3 and shoot. Our principles, our culture, our DNA are in every single NBA team.”

DETROIT — All it took for Ron Holland II to have arguably his best highlight of his rookie season was a missed layup by Jamal Cain.

With the Detroit Pistons trailing the New Orleans Pelicans late in the third quarter on March 23, Holland recorded a rebound following Cain’s missed attempt and pushed the ball up the court, igniting a fast break.

After executing an in-and-out move on Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins, Holland finished the possession with a one-handed dunk that sent the Little Caesars Arena crowd into a frenzy.

“It was huge, I am very happy for him,” Pistons guard Malik Beasley told The Detroit News after that game, a 136-130 win. “He was due to have a game like this. He is always talking about the rookie in Chicago (Matas Buzelis) and how he wishes he had the same opportunity. With a few players out, he had that opportunity. As his vet, I am happy for him.”

The dunk was a key moment and part of a career night for Holland. In addition to tying his career high with 26 points, Holland had his best all-around performance of the season with six assists and five rebounds.

“A lot of things happened in this game that showed a lot of my skill set,” Holland said at the time. “At the end of the day, I just want to go out there and win and do right by my teammates. Every single possession, go out and show that I am the winning player everyone keeps telling me to be.”

Several moments made the Pistons’ comeback win over the Pelicans the pinnacle of Holland’s first NBA season. It also became a staple of how Holland played a significant role in Detroit’s success despite his lack of minutes during the playoffs.

The Pistons’ first-round pick (No. 5 overall) in the 2024 draft, Holland appeared in 81 of 82 regular-season games, averaging 6.4 points on 47.4% shooting from the field and 2.7 rebounds.

He earned the trust and respect of coach J.B. Bickerstaff and his teammates early in training camp by showcasing his fearless and competitive mentality. As a result, the Pistons relied on Holland’s two-way talents throughout the season, during which he played an average of 15.6 minutes per game.

“Coming into the season as a rookie, my main focus was to let them know that I am here to play hard every single night,” Holland said. “I just wanted them to know that I got their backs just as much as they got mine … from Trajan (Langdon; Pistons president) all the way down to the players.”

Holland’s most significant contribution to the Pistons was his high energy and effort, which symbolized the franchise’s gritty and hard-nosed traits. Throughout the season, his intensity shifted several games in Detroit’s favor, a testament to how Holland became a three-time recipient of the Pistons’ BTA (Belt To Ass) honor.

Every time Holland stepped onto the court during the regular season, he showed why the Pistons have high expectations for him as a key part of their future.

“I think I did a good job of asking consistently what the team needs from me, which is staying prepared when my name is called,” Holland said. “Just bring the energy when I check into the game. When I am on the bench, helping guys who are on the floor, being that communicator for this team.”

Bickerstaff maintained a tight rotation during the Pistons’ six-game playoff series against the New York Knicks, and his adjustment led to Holland spending much of the postseason on the bench.

Holland played 34 minutes during the series, recording a combined nine points, six rebounds and a block. His most notable moment occurred during the Pistons’ 94-93 Game 4 loss on April 27, when he got into a minor altercation with Karl-Anthony Towns.

“That’s who Ron is and that’s who he has been all year long,” Bickerstaff said ahead of Game 5. “His intensity is what makes him who he is, and it is what has helped him get to the league. … I don’t mind his scrappiness. I don’t mind him mixing it up. I love his confidence. I love his belief and his will to win.”

Bickerstaff’s decision to exclude the 6-foot-8 forward from his playoff rotation was surprising. But while additional playing time for Holland wouldn’t have been enough to change the outcome of Detroit’s first-round exit to New York, the minutes Holland did receive can serve as valuable learning experiences as he aims to build on a promising rookie year.

“This playoff basketball stuff is real,” Holland said. “The first few possessions, there were a lot of bumps that were not called. It is what people have been saying that it was. The amount of emotions of winning each possession, people really lock in every single possession.”

DETROIT — Cade Cunningham had a handful of moments that solidified his breakout season. One of his most memorable plays came during the Pistons’ Game 2 win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Cunningham had his best postseason performance by scoring 33 points on 11 of 21 shooting, going 10-for-12 from the foul line and grabbing 12 rebounds. He registered 20 points in the first half to help the Pistons tie the playoff series at one game apiece.

Midway through the third quarter, Cunningham got the ball following a Knicks turnover and threw down a one-handed dunk in transition. On his way to the basket, he completed a behind-the-back crossover to break free of Mikal Bridges. After the dunk, Cunningham celebrated by pointing at soon-to-be Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony, who was seated baseline.

Cunningham went on to average 25 points, 8.7 assists, 8.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks in his first playoff series. Although the Knicks eliminated the Pistons in six games, his playoff debut was a testament to what has him on the verge of his first All-NBA selection.

“He had an incredible year,” president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said. “Stats-wise, he was fantastic. He got better. I think people who knew basketball already knew he was a helluva talent, that he was capable of doing that, but he had not driven winning. He was the main driver of winning for us this year. That was his biggest step and the hardest step to take.”

Similar to the Pistons’ overall success, Langdon suspects that Cunningham’s standout year could have significant ramifications for next season.

“He was looking at other players and had a target on their backs, and now, he is going to have a target on his,” Langdon said. “Players are going to be like, ‘Man, I am going against Cade Cunningham tonight. I’m going to get my rest because people are going to be watching.’”

During Cunningham’s exit interview, which Langdon and coach J.B. Bickerstaff conducted, the primary focus was on the increased defensive attention that he will face from opponents next season. Cunningham started encountering various coverages and physical defensive strategies against the Knicks, which hindered his production at times.

His field goal percentage decreased from 46.9% shooting from the field in the regular season to 42.6% during the six-game series. The Knicks’ defensive scheme made Cunningham’s 3-point shooting a nonfactor, as he shot 17.9% from behind the arc. In the regular season, the former No. 1 pick shot a career-best 35.6% from deep.

Part of his drop in field goal efficiency included two missed potential winning shots in Games 4 and 6. During the postseason, he also led all playoff teams in turnovers, averaging 5.3 giveaways per game.

“The big thing for him, and we talked to him about it, get into elite shape,” Langdon said. “He is incredibly skilled and talented. He understands the leadership of it. He now has a little bit of late-season and playoff experience, he knows how it feels.

“So, now, he has an understanding of what he is training for in the summer. If you have never experienced playoff basketball, you don’t understand the level you have to go to. He should be training for the first and second rounds of the playoffs. Not just Game 45 (of the regular season) anymore.”

Cunningham’s career-best season ended with him catapulting himself into the echelon of the league’s elites. Langdon watched as Cunningham entered the year motivated to prove himself as a top-tier player while helping the Pistons reestablish themselves as a respectable and winning franchise.

His determination led Detroit to a 44-38 record in the regular season, its best campaign in nine years. Cunningham’s highlight play during Game 2 was among the best that demonstrated his career year. The All-Star guard is determined to prove that his breakout, and the Pistons’ success, was no fluke.

“We proved that when you come to play Detroit, it’s going to be a dogfight and you have to play the full 48 minutes,” Cunningham said. “That’s something the whole league has taken notice of; the belief in the room and in the locker room has grown a ton.”

DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham led an unprecedented turnaround in NBA history, lifting the Detroit Pistons to relevance after the three-time championship franchise lost its luster.

Cunningham had an All-NBA caliber season, joining elite company with Oscar Robertson, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and LeBron James.

Detroit’s point guard and those all-time greats are the seven players in NBA history to average at least 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds in a season.

Cunningham’s breakout season helped Detroit become the league’s first team to triple its number of wins from the previous full season.

He didn’t do it alone.

Jalen Duren’s third season was his best and a trio of newly acquired veterans made an impact on and off the court for a team that had the NBA’s worst record the previous two seasons.

When the sixth-seeded and inconsistent Pistons host third-seeded New York on Sunday in Game 4, they need Cunningham to shine and his supporting cast to make shots and stops.

Cunningham is learning a lot in his NBA playoffs debut and his team is, too, in its first postseason appearance since 2019 because every possession matters and little mistakes lead to losing.

“All these things are making us a better team and I think it’s going to make us better to go win this series,” Cunningham said.

Detroit has dropped eight home playoff games in a row since 2008, pulling within one of an NBA record set by Philadelphia from 1968 to 1971.

If the Pistons lose a second straight matchup, they will tie a league mark and be on the brink of elimination going into Game 5 in New York on Tuesday night

The Knicks are expecting Detroit’s best punch.

“They’re going to come out with physicality and aggression,” Knicks guard Josh Hart told reporters Saturday.

In the only game Detroit won against New York, Cunningham was a star with 33 points on 11-of-21 shooting and 12 assists.

In Games 1 and 3, both won by the Knicks, Cunningham was not at his best and his inconsistent teammates didn’t pick up the slack.

Cunningham had 21 points, missing 13 of 21 attempts, and 12 rebounds in the opener.

In Game 3, he joined James, Westbrook and Rick Barry as the four players in NBA playoffs history to have at least 24 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, four steals and two blocks in a game.

Cunningham, though, also missed 15 of 25 shots and had six turnovers in the potentially, pivotal game.

OG Anunoby had something to do with that.

The 6-foot-7, 232-pound Anunoby, in his eighth NBA season and first full years with the Knicks, used his strength and quickness to challenge Cunningham.

Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff is confident Cunningham will find a way to make winning plays in Game 4.

“We’ve seen Cade be able to get where he wants to get to and do what he needs to do,” Bickerstaff said said. “Give (Anunoby) respect because he’s earned it, but I still like Cade’s chances.”

To improve Detroit’s shot to even the series, Cunningham’s teammates have to take advantage of the space he creates by making open shots.

While veteran guard Tim Hardaway Jr. made a career-playoff high seven 3-pointers and matched a Pistons record, a usually dependable teammate struggled in Game 3.

Malik Beasley connected on six 3-pointers in the opener and made a franchise-record 319 3-pointers during the regular season, ranking second in the league, but was 2 of 10 beyond the arc Thursday night.

Tobias Harris scored a total of 40 points in the two games at Madison Square Garden, then was held to just five points at Little Caesars Arena.

The Knicks, meanwhile, had one of their most balanced offensive postseason performances in more than a half-century.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 31 points, Jalen Brunson had 30 points, Anunoby scored 22 and Mikal Bridges had 20 points.

The last time New York had four players score 20-plus points in a playoff game, Hall of Famers Walt Frazier, Jerry Lucas, Dave DeBusschere and Bill Bradley pulled off the feat in 1972.

“What hurt us in this last game was more our defense than anything we did offensively,” Bickerstaff said.

NEW YORK — Cade Cunningham used a screen from Isaiah Stewart and instantly crossed over Karl-Anthony Towns, who was a bit slow to step up in help defense. The move created an open lane for Cunningham, who finished the play with a two-handed dunk at the 4:05 mark of the third quarter.

His basket was a part of the 19 points the Detroit Pistons scored during the final six minutes of the period, which resulted in a 91-83 lead against the New York Knicks entering the fourth quarter of Saturday night’s playoff game.

“It was a lot of fun being out there — I enjoyed it a lot,” Cunningham said. “I think the whole group enjoyed it. It was loud in there. It was rocking, so those are the best games to play in.”

Cunningham’s dunk was arguably his best play during his playoff debut Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. However, his double-double performance of 21 points and 12 assists wasn’t enough, as the Pistons sustained a 123-112 Game 1 loss to the Knicks.

Cunningham walked off the court dejected after the Pistons gave up 40 points in the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ comeback win, but he remained grateful for the overall experience.

“Playing our game, battling on the boards, playing with pace, and getting stops, those are the many things that clicked for us,” Cunningham said. “At the end [we] just got to clean up the little things. … It was a solid game through three quarters, but the fourth quarter comes, and there are things we’ll clean up.”

As the player who led Detroit to a 3-1 regular-season record against New York, Cunningham understood that he would be the primary objective of the Knicks’ defensive strategy during their best-of-seven series.

He entered the game with an understanding of how they would defend him. He knew the Knicks would send multiple bodies to force the ball out of his hands. Every time he came off a screen, an extra defender would step up to seal an open lane to the basket.

New York assigned various players to guard Cunningham throughout the night, but Knicks small forward OG Anunoby took the lead as the primary defender. At times, Anunoby’s aggressive defense made it challenging for Cunningham to catch the ball while forcing him into several tough shot attempts.

“OG, he’s a hell of a player,” said Knicks guard Josh Hart. “Defensively, we have faith in him to guard anybody. We’re all locked in and dialed into him. He’s a good player, but OG loves those kinds of matchups, especially in the playoffs, where you can be physical; he’s a physical guy, being able to get through screens and those kinds of things. We need his offense obviously, but more importantly, his defense every game.”

With Anunoby at the helm, Cunningham finished the night shooting 8-of-21 from the field, including one made 3-pointer, and committed six turnovers. Three of his giveaways accounted for the six turnovers the Pistons committed as a whole during their fourth-quarter collapse.

After a subpar debut, the All-Star guard vows to learn and adjust from his mistakes ahead of their Game 2 matchup. His most significant lessons came from acknowledging his lack of ball security and making a commitment to improving his decision-making and overall play on both ends of the floor.

Cunningham’s crossover and dunk late in the third quarter were among a few plays when he gave a glimpse into the player who averaged 30.8 points per game against the Knicks during the regular season. He is determined to regain form in an attempt to help the Pistons end their nine-game playoff losing streak come Monday night.

“This was definitely a learning experience,” Cunningham said. “It was something I’ve never been a part of. But also, I did not treat it like it was a different game. I tried to approach it like a regular game, read what the defense gives me and exploit it. At the end of the day, it’s basketball…

“We’re excited. I’m excited for this series to keep going. I’m ready for Game 2.”

The Pistons and Knicks will meet for Game 2 on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. in New York. FanDuel Sports Network and TNT will carry the game.