Pistons Flip a Draft Pick Into a 7-Footer, and It Looks Like an Isaiah Stewart Fix

The Detroit Pistons didn’t waste any time finding a replacement for Isaiah Stewart. They used a pick they just got for him to land Ugonna Onyenso, a 7-foot rim protector with a weird path through three major college programs.

Here’s how it went down. The Pistons sent Stewart to Memphis during the second round of the draft. The Grizzlies gave them three second-round picks in return. Detroit then shipped one of those picks to New York in a separate trade, and the Knicks sent Onyenso to Detroit. According to ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Knicks essentially acted as a middleman — they got Onyenso from Houston, then flipped him to the Pistons.

Onyenso turns 22 this summer and spent time at Kentucky, Kansas State, and Virginia. That’s three blue bloods in three years, which is unusual. But the guy can block shots. He averaged 2.9 blocks per game last season with Cleveland’s G League affiliate, which is a career-best for him. He also put up 6.5 points a night. Those numbers might not jump off the page, but the Pistons needed size down low, and Onyenso provides exactly that.

The timing makes sense too. Stewart was traded on draft night, and Detroit had to fill his spot in the frontcourt rotation. Onyenso gives head coach JB Bickerstaff a genuine paint presence, which matters after the way Cleveland attacked the rim in last season’s playoffs. Bickerstaff knows what his Cavaliers did to opposing defenses, and now he’s got a guy who can try to stop that kind of stuff.

This move also helps the Pistons move past the failed Austin Reaves pursuit. Detroit tried to get Reaves from the Lakers but couldn’t pull it off. Losing Stewart stung a little, but getting a young center with real shot-blocking potential softens that blow.

The Pistons were busy elsewhere too. They traded the 21st pick, Karim Lopez, to Memphis as part of a separate deal. So Memphis ended up with both Stewart and Lopez, while Detroit added Onyenso and collected multiple future pick assets.

Onyenso isn’t a household name and he’s not going to start right away. But for a team that just lost its only real bruiser in the frontcourt, he’s a logical fit. Bickerstaff now has a backup plan in the paint, and the Pistons can move forward without scrambling for size in free agency.