Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren just put a loud punctuation mark on Detroit’s turnaround. Yesterday, both landed spots on the NBA’s All‑NBA teams, with Cunningham on the First Team and Duren on the Third. The dual selections cap a 60‑win regular season and give the Pistons their first year with two All‑NBA players in the same campaign since Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups in 2005‑06.
The league unveiled the 2025‑26 Kia All‑NBA rosters Sunday, with Cunningham on the First Team and Duren on the Third Team, according to NBA.com. The official voting chart shows Cunningham appeared on 98 of 100 ballots, picking up 60 First‑Team and 38 Second‑Team nods for 414 points. Duren showed up on 89 ballots, with 16 Second‑Team and 73 Third‑Team votes for 121 points. Cunningham averaged 23.9 points, 9.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds across 64 regular‑season games, and Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in 70 games, per RotoWire and RotoWire. Detroit finished the regular season 60‑22 and secured the East’s top seed, per NBA.com.
Contract stakes for Duren
Duren’s All‑NBA nod does more than pad his résumé; it reshapes his next contract. Because the honor triggers the CBA’s “Higher Max” criteria, he can be eligible for a five‑year rookie‑max extension that starts at roughly 30% of the salary cap, a package projected at about $287 million under current estimates, according to Sports Illustrated. Coverage notes that outside teams would be limited to shorter, smaller offers of roughly four years and about $177.4 million, which makes a Detroit deal uniquely expensive and sets up a high‑pressure summer for the franchise.
Pistons president Trajan Langdon has already tried to cool any looming drama. He told reporters the club “looks forward to coming together with his representation and getting a deal done,” signaling that the front office wants Duren in Detroit for the long haul, per AP via Fox Sports.
What it means for Detroit's offseason
Cunningham’s First‑Team berth is a milestone for the franchise, making him the first Pistons player to crack the All‑NBA First Team since Grant Hill in 1996‑97. Paired with Duren’s Third‑Team selection, it gives Detroit its first All‑NBA duo since the Billups‑Wallace era, as reported by the Detroit Free Press.
The recognition raises the stakes for what comes next. Re‑signing Duren, protecting the rotation, and building a payroll structure around Cunningham now come with the weight of two young stars carrying All‑NBA credentials. For a franchise that just fought its way back to the top of the East, those choices will help decide whether this year’s surge becomes Detroit’s new normal or just a flashy one‑season cameo.
.jpg){kind=link}