The Detroit Pistons made the first significant move of the offseason on day two of the NBA Draft, agreeing to send reserve center Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies for three future second-round picks, according to multiple media reports. Shams Charania of ESPN was first to break the news. The move points to something larger in the works for the Pistons, who primarily get salary cap space, offloading the two years and $30 million remaining on his deal. I imagine they know precisely how they plan
to use it.
Options might include a framework for a separate trade that allows them to take on more money than they send out. The other option would be a plan to target a player in free agency. Omari Sankofa reports that the three picks Detroit is receiving are the same three it traded to the Grizzlies on day one of the NBA Draft to move up from 21 to 16. Of course, they were originally at 21 thanks to a pick swap with the Minnesota Timberwolves due to a trade deadline deal.
In essence, that means the Pistons traded Jaden Ivey and Isaiah Stewart for Kevin Huerter and to move up from 28 to 16 in the NBA Draft.
OK, anyway, back to salary cap space.
Brett Siegel of Clutch Points reports that he “believes” this is a move to clear the cap space necessary to sign Norman Powell in free agency. If true, that likely means the Pistons have moved on from a potential pursuit of Tyler Herro, now of the Milwaukee Bucks, who is thought to be on the trade block after being shipped from Miami in the Giannis Antetokounmpo deal.
It also likely means the end of any hope of trading for Trey Murphy III, as it was believed Stewart would have been an attractive trade piece to send to the GM that drafted him, Troy Weaver.
Stewart averaged 8.8 points and 6.8 rebounds in his six-year career with the Detroit Pistons. He was mostly a backup, but also turned himself into one of the best interior defenders in the NBA while also adding a respectable 3-ball to his arsenal. But standing at 6-foot-8 (more like 6-foot-6 if we’re being honest), Stewart had offensive limitations and struggled to control the defensive glass.
He was also prone to getting himself suspended and fined for on-court and off-court incidents, where he would … oh, let’s say challenge opposing players.
Stewart was called the “standard bearer of our identity” by Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff. He also called him at times the team’s “enforcer” and its “heart and soul.”
But he was also a bit exposed in the playoffs and was seen as surplus value with the team having a capable third-string center in Paul Reed ready to inherit his minutes and Jalen Duren firmly established as the team’s starter going forward.
President Trajan Langdon has been clear in his desire to add shooting, ball handling, and playmaking to his unit after a disappointing second-round exit. Stewart didn’t provide much of any of that.
Now we wait for the other shoe to drop.
Here’s my question. Will Isaiah Stewart get into a physical altercation in his first game with his now former team next season?
