Pistons vs Suns Preview: Cade Cunningham vs the Suns’ Big Three – New Coaches’ Strategies to Watch

On October 9, the NBA preseason game will see the Pistons hosting the Suns.

The Pistons started last season by signing renowned coach Monty Williams with what was then the most expensive coaching contract in history, but they ended up with only 14 wins and 68 losses, ranking last in the league and setting a new franchise record for worst performance. In light of this, the Pistons fired Monty during the off-season and hired J.B. Bickerstaff. Meanwhile, the team signed veteran Harris for $52 million over two years, Beasley for $6 million, Founier for $16 million, and Gibson on a minimum contract. Of course, acquiring Tim Hardaway Jr. via trade was also part of the Pistons’ off-season moves.

Additionally, the Pistons renewed their contract with top draft pick Cade Cunningham for $226 million, establishing him as the core of the team’s future. Cunningham averaged 22.7 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game last season, and his performance became increasingly mature especially in the second half of the season. The growth of young players like Ivey and DuRan has also made the Pistons’ future more promising.

The Suns assembled the big three of Durant, Booker, and Beal last season, aiming to make waves in the West, but they only managed a 49-33 record, finishing sixth in the Western Conference regular season. In the first round of the playoffs, the Suns were swept 4-0 by the young Timberwolves, exiting the tournament in disappointment. For the Suns, who had invested heavily in forming the big three, this result was clearly unacceptable. The offensive tactics of the trio Durant, Booker, and Beal were monotonous, and defensively they were a mess, plunging the team into a quagmire.

In the off-season, the Suns fired Vogel and hired another championship-winning coach, Budenholzer. The Suns finalized the deal with Buden, who led the Bucks to a championship, in just one day. While Budenholzer’s playoff coaching has been criticized, he is excellent at building rosters and can be trusted to integrate the team during the regular season. The Suns have brought in point guards Tyus Jones, Monte Morris, and Plumlee, while also renewing contracts with Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, Damion Lee, and Bol Bol.

This matchup between the Pistons and the Suns will not feature long playing times for the main players on both sides. With his top-tier contract renewal, Cunningham will likely be more focused. The Suns’ big three, after last season’s failure, will certainly want to bounce back from their humiliation. Additionally, the performances of the young players from both teams in this preseason game, along with the strategies employed by their new head coaches, may well determine the outcome of the match.

>>”>More predictions for this game can be found here>>>