Isaiah Stewart seen as ‘movable’ piece this offseason
After his most productive season in the NBA last season, NBA executives around the league believe Detroit Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart could be on the move this offseason, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
Stewart, 22, averaged 11.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 28.3 minutes per game on 44.2 percent shooting from the field across 50 games.
The question barring around Stewart with the Pistons is if the Pistons are too loaded with talented big men? Outside of Stewart, Detroit also rosters three potential stars in big men with 19-year-old Jalen Duren, James Wiseman, and Marvin Bagley III.
“While Detroit has been open to the idea of the two being able to coexist, rival executives believe Stewart could become a movable trade piece with a frontcourt logjam in Detroit and the emergence of Jalen Duren,” Scotto told Pistons reporter James Edwards of The Athletic on the HoopsHype Podcast. “They’ve also got Marvin Bagley.“
Edwards believes the Pistons organization values Stewart too highly to trade the young big man.
“[General manager] Troy Weaver loves Isaiah Stewart. I would be stunned if Isaiah played anywhere else anytime soon – stunned – based on conversations I’ve had,” Edwards responded. “I’ve felt very confident that Stewart would be here, and the Wiseman thing was more of a gamble on potential than we’re trying to find a replacement.”
Stewart and the 19-year-old Duren are seen as the future big men in Detroit. Both are ahead of Wiseman, the former Golden State Warriors big and former No. 2 overall pick.
“He’s beloved in Detroit. He embodies everything that this city is about,” Edwards added. “I think it’s far more likely that Duren and Stewart are the frontcourt. I think Wiseman was a guy they had a chance to get that they liked coming into his draft and see if they could unlock some potential as a backup big or starting big. Right now, it’s Duren and Stewart’s frontcourt job.”
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