Cade Cunningham vs LaMelo Ball
Cunningham · Ball
| Cunningham | Ball | |
|---|---|---|
| 64 | Games availability | 72 |
| 33.9 | Minutes per game | 28.0 |
| 23.9 | Points per game | 20.1 |
| 5.5 | Rebounds per game | 4.8 |
| 9.9 | Assists per game | 7.1 |
| 2.2 | Steals + blocks per game | 1.5 |
| 3.7 | Turnovers per game · lower is better | 2.8 |
| 46.1% | Field goal % | 40.7% |
| 34.2% | Three-point % 5.7 vs 10.3 attempts | 36.8% |
| 81.2% | Free throw % | 89.9% |
| 56.4% | True shooting TS% | 54.6% |
| 29.6% | Usage USG% | 30.6% |
| 43.0% | Assist % of teammates' baskets | 38.4% |
| 7.9% | Rebound % of available | 8.4% |
| +11.4 | Net rating on court | +9.1 |
| 15.9% | PIE player impact estimate | 13.4% |
| +8.1 | Plus-minus per game | +5.8 |
Where the gap is
from the numbers aboveCade Cunningham scored more in 2025-26, 3.8 points a game apart (23.9 vs 20.1), on Ball's heavier usage (30.6% vs 29.6%).
Cunningham is the more efficient scorer by true shooting, 56.4% to 54.6%; TS% folds threes and free throws into one number, so the gap survives shot-diet differences.
Playmaking goes to Cunningham (9.9 vs 7.1 assists), the glass to Cunningham (5.5 vs 4.8 rebounds).
Availability is part of the comparison: Ball played 8 more games (72 vs 64 of 82).
With Cunningham on the floor his team outscored opponents by +11.4 per 100 possessions, against +9.1 for Ball; on-court net rating carries the teammates with it, so read it next to PIE.
On the books for 2026-27: Cunningham $50.1M through 2029-30, Ball $40.8M through 2028-29. Whether either fits a trade is a Trade Machine question, not a stat one.
Splits
2025-26 · from the game logs| Cunningham | Ball | |
|---|---|---|
| 47-17 | Record when playing | 41-31 |
| 22.5 | Points at home | 19.5 |
| 25.1 | Points on the road | 20.6 |
| 23.5 | Points in wins | 20.4 |
| 25.2 | Points in losses | 19.6 |
| 46 | Season high | 38 |
| 13 | 30-point games | 9 |
| 38 | Double-doubles | 10 |
Last games & contracts
test a trade in the Trade Machine →More comparisons
pick any two players →Per-game numbers and percentages are 2025-26 regular season from stats.nba.com; splits and last games from our own game logs; contract figures are cap hits from public salary data and can lag a signing by a day. Bold marks the better number in each row (turnovers: fewer is better).