Pistons' Cade Cunningham: Sidelined with collapsed lung

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Cunningham was diagnosed Thursday with a mild collapsed left lung and is expected to miss an extended period of time, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.

Cunningham left Tuesday's 130-117 win over Washington due to back spasms and didn't practice Wednesday before being ruled out for Thursday's rematch against the Wizards. However, rather than back spasms, the two-time All-Star has now been revealed to be dealing with a more significant issue. With no guarantee that Cunningham will play again this season, the Pistons, who currently hold the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, will need all hands on deck to replace his production. Daniss Jenkins appears likely to stick in the starting lineup moving forward, while Ausar Thompson, Caris LeVert, Marcus Sasser and Tobias Harris are also candidates for increased usage. With only 61 appearances thus far, Cunningham is at risk of being ineligible for season-long awards. While no concrete timetable for Cunningham's return has been provided, Charania said the team is looking at a multi-week absence for the fifth-year guard and has optimism he could be available for a postseason run.