Detroit Pistons injury news: Monte Morris to debut, Cade Cunningham to return Wednesday

The Detroit Pistons, for the first time this season, are going to be 100% healthy.

Veteran point guard Monte Morris will likely make his season debut Wednesday, when the Pistons host the Charlotte Hornets. He will be joined by Cade Cunningham, who will return from a seven-game absence due to a left knee strain.

Morris, a Flint native and Michigan Mr. Basketball winner, has been sidelined far longer than expected due to a lower back strain, followed by a right quad strain that was treated with a PRP injection. The 28-year-old arrived in Detroit via a trade in the summer, and should provide a steadying presence for a young backcourt.

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He dreamed of playing for the Pistons, and has been teasing his return on social media.

Morris, a career 39.2% 3-point shooter and 48.1% overall in five seasons with Denver and one with Washington, will provide spacing for a Pistons team lagging in both attempts per game and accuracy. He can also aid the ongoing issues with turning the ball over: He has never averaged more than a full turnover per game in a season. Tuesday was Morris' first full practice this season.

“Monte is a guy who has a historical body of work to be able to play with the ball and off the ball,” coach Monty Williams said during preseason in October. “In Denver he played off of it more because of (Nikola) Jokic. Last year, they played him as a primary ballhandler. He’s a guy that understands how to play. He can settle the best when things are getting a little out of hand. I think he can do that."

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Cunningham, 22, had appeared in every game this season before injuring his knee during the Pistons' road loss to the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 7. He's averaging 22.8 points and 7.2 assists on 44.9% shooting overall, 33.5% from 3-point range and 87% on free throws. The Pistons went 3-33 with him and 1-6 without him.

Despite a standout performance during Team USA scrimmages last summer, Cunningham was left off Monday's announced 41-player pool for the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team at the Summer Olympics in Paris. No Pistons made the cut.

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons news: Monte Morris to debut, Cade Cunningham returns