Cade Cunningham is already enjoying NBA Twitter

NBA Twitter is alive and well as the Eastern and Western Conference Finals roll on. The Atlanta Hawks upset the Milwaukee Bucks in game one of the Eastern Conference Finals while the Phoenix Suns take a 2-0 lead over the Clippers to Los Angeles for game three. In the midst of the Conference Finals was the NBA Draft Lottery, where the Detroit Pistons conveyed 14 percent odds into landing the top pick in the draft.

While plenty of fans are talking about the Conference Finals, some couldn’t help but look ahead to July’s NBA Draft after the pecking order was officially set. That includes a thread of tweets that had Cunningham “weak” and....I will just let those tweets speak for themselves. Many Detroit Pistons fans chimed in on the thread as Cunningham is the presumptive No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. Detroit could still go in a different direction or trade the pick, but it is likely Cunningham becomes a member of the Detroit Pistons a month from now.

I’m not sure if Cunningham ever made the honor roll in his brief academic career at Oklahoma State but I am sure “Grade Cunningham” made an appearance or two at Arlington Bowie High School or Montverde Academy.

Oklahoma State fans are well aware of Cunningham’s great character, so I’m not saying this would ever happen, however, it wouldn’t be the first altercation involving an Oklahoma State basketball player and a fan. Shoutout to Marcus Smart. This tweet is funny because it also wouldn’t be the first time a Detroit Pistons player went into the stands to fight a fan. If you haven’t seen the Malice at the Palace, I suggest checking it out. I don’t expect “Fade Cunningham” to mean he’s running a fade but rather receiving one:

Cunningham may or may not be able to turn a Detroit Pistons team that hasn’t won a playoff series since 2008 into a championship contender but I hope we get to see “Parade Cunningham” at some point in his career.

The Detroit Pistons made the playoffs in 2019 and were quickly eliminated by the Milwaukee Bucks, but that doesn’t mean a playoff appearance is guaranteed when Cunningham arrives. As the New Orleans Pelicans are finding out with former No. 1 pick Zion Williamson, winning matters. The Pelicans have failed to make the playoffs in Williamson’s two seasons in New Orleans and it’s been reported that Williamson’s family members want him out of New Orleans and on a better team. That doesn’t mean much today but it could in a few years if the Pelicans don’t turn it around. Detroit could see “Trade Cunningham” if the organization doesn’t put together a winning team before long.

On the flip side, things could work out in Detroit for Cade Cunningham. The Boston Celtics were coming off a losing season when Marcus Smart was drafted. Boston was able to turn its record around and Smart has been very public about his love for the Celtics and the City of Boston. Many fans of other lottery teams are already getting creative with trades for the No. 1 pick and a shot to draft Cunningham. If Detroit decides to keep the pick and draft the native Texan, we could see “Stayed Cunningham.”

Eventually, Cunningham will hit restricted, and then unrestricted, free agency. LeBron James infamously left his hometown of Cleveland when he hit unrestricted free agency because the team was unable to sign star-caliber players. James was swayed by Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade to link up with Chris Bosh to form a big three. If Cunningham is unhappy with the team that drafts him, he could be persuaded to join another team in free agency. Could we see “Swayed Cunningham” in a handful of years?

Our own Phillip Slavin got off a few tweets in the thread. The salary slot for the No. 1 pick is over $8.3 million dollars in the first year and increases to over $9.2 million dollars by the third season. Pretty soon, Cunningham will be able to afford all the pinball and arcade games he wants to play. Maybe we will get to see “Arcade Cunningham,” perhaps on a future father-daughter date.

Our last entry is “Shade Cunningham.” Oklahoma State fans enjoyed this version of Cade during two Bedlam wins during his time in Stillwater. If Cunningham does end up on the Pistons, embattled Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons could be a player that Cunningham throws some shade at. Of course, Simmons may no longer be employed by the 76ers by the time Cunningham makes his NBA debut after a horrendous showing in the NBA Playoffs. Either way, Cunningham will face Simmons at one point or another.