Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has been diagnosed with a pneumothorax in his left lung and will miss “an extended period of time,” according to multiple media reports including ESPN.
Cunningham, a 2-time NBA All-Star, exited a game on March 18, 2026 with a report of back spasms after an opponent landed on him during a scramble for a loose ball. It was later revealed the injury he suffered was a pneumothorax, ESPN reports.
According to the network’s NBA “insider” Shams Charania, it is reported to be a “mild” pneumothorax.
Cunningham does not have a timeline to return to action but some are reporting he may return in time to play in the league’s postseason, which runs April through June.
Just in: Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham has been diagnosed with a collapsed lung and is expected to miss an extended period of time, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/JIHABIIOY5
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 19, 2026
He is the second NBA player to miss game action due to a collapsed lung in the last few years, joining current Washington Wizards player CJ McCollum who was diagnosed in 2023.
Several other NBA players have missed significant time due to cardioplumonary issues recent years, including Damian Lillard for DVT (2025), Victor Wembanyama for DVT (2025), Mirza Teletovic for pulmonary emboli (2017), and Chris Bosh for pulmonary embolism (2015).
In December 2025, NFL Pro Bowler TJ Watt was sidelined by a partial pneumothorax after a procedure called “dry needling.” Watt underwent surgery on Dec 11 and returned to game action less than a month later on Jan 4, 2026.
Images:
1. ID 18802224 © Yobro10 | Dreamstime.com
2. “Cade Cunningham” by Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0. Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham dribbles during the 2022 NBA Skills Competition during All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, Ohio. February 19, 2022. Via Flickr.com.
