The NBA Draft’s second day usually means a bunch of second-round swaps and stash picks. This year, it gave us an actual trade involving a real rotation player. The Detroit Pistons sent center Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies for three second-round picks.
On the surface, it’s not the sexiest deal. But when you dig into where both teams are right now, it starts to make more sense. Let’s walk through it.
What Memphis is Actually Doing
The Grizzlies are in full rebuild mode. They already traded Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. this season. Ja Morant is next — they’ve been trying to move him for months. So why trade three picks for a 6-foot-8 center who doesn’t space the floor consistently?
Because Zach Edey can’t play 82 games alone. Edey’s a monster when he’s on the floor, but his health has been a question mark all year. Memphis needs bodies behind him, and Stewart gives them a guy who actually knows how to defend and rebound at an NBA level. Last season, Stewart quietly turned into a reliable defensive big for Detroit. His offense comes and goes — he shot 38% from three a couple years ago, then regressed — but that’s not what Memphis needs him for.
The contract helps too. Stewart has a $15 million team option for 2027. If he develops into something more, great. If not, they can walk away. It’s a low-risk flier on a 25-year-old who could be part of the next Grit ‘n Grind era. Or at least a decent backup.
Grade: B+
Detroit’s Cap Space Play
The Pistons had a weird season. They won the East for the first time in almost 20 years, then almost blew a 3-1 lead to the eighth-seeded Magic in the first round. They survived that but got smoked by Cleveland in the second round. It was an ugly finish to an otherwise great year.
Now they’ve got a cap crunch. Jalen Duren needs a new contract, and Detroit doesn’t have the room to keep everyone. Stewart became the odd man out. And honestly, his playoff performance made the decision easier. He was borderline unplayable against Orlando and Cleveland because his offense just disappeared. Teams sagged off him, clogged the paint, and dared him to shoot. That hurt Duren too.
So Detroit shipped Stewart out, cleared some space, and now has more flexibility to chase someone like Austin Reaves in free agency. It’s not a flashy move. Fans probably won’t love it. But the Pistons needed to pick a direction, and keeping Stewart while trying to pay Duren didn’t add up.
Grade: B
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