Pistons Ready to Rebuild Around the Relentless Stewart
Detroit didn't know exactly what it was getting in Isaiah Stewart, the 16th overall NBA draft pick and an old-school player who skeptics said had showed up in the league a decade too late.
With the Pistons' season ending on Sunday, the former University of Washington big man has showed everyone in the league that his nonstop hustle approach is very contemporary, that he's someone you can build around to help restore the franchise to respectability and beyond.
That much was implied last week when Detroit reached a contract extension with coach Dwane Casey, the one-time Sonics assistant, that will run through the 2023-24 season. His handling of Stewart and a young roster were largely responsible.
"He is fully committed to the restoration of the Pistons where his competitiveness, teaching ability and developmental acumen can be seen in the growth of our young players," Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement.
The 6-foot-9, 250-pound Stewart is a big part of the optimism. For the 20-51 Pistons with one outing left on Sunday, he will miss the finale for personal reasons. He played in 68 games and started 14 of them, with most opening assignments coming in the past month.
While drawing just 21.4 minutes per game, he showed himself to be a reasonable scorer (7.9), relentless rebounder (6.7), decent shooter (55.3 percent) and an improving 3-point marksman (33 percent).
He already has an NBA nickname that he's fully embraced in "Beef Stew."
And it's important to note — he's still just 19 years old.
As Stewart develops more range, the Pistons see using him at power forward as much as in the pivot. His presence was one reason they felt emboldened to buy out Blake Griffin's contract and go younger.
For now, Stewart is interchangeable with veteran center Mason Plumlee, with the two alternating as starters. The front office would like to use them side by side.
“In due time, we’ll be able to see Isaiah and Mason [Plumlee] play together,” Detroit general manager Troy Weaver said. “It gives us more flexibility there.”
For that to happen, Stewart will need to become more of a 3-point threat. He's connected on 21 of 63 behind the line, but he seems to be getting more comfortable with a shot he rarely attempted at the UW, hitting just 5 of 20.
“Isaiah has great ball skills,” Casey said. “He can shoot the ball. He’s steady. That’s who he’s going to be."
Stewart has quieted those who suggested he couldn't be much more than a defensive specialist and rebounder. It's come as no surprise to him that he's a better 3-point shooter than anyone thought.
“Nothing I do has surprised me," he said. "I work very hard on my game. The things I do out on the floor, I’m very confident I can do.”
Everybody wants to compare him to someone whether it be Ben Wallace formerly of the Pistons, Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo or the well-traveled past great Horace Grant, all players with limited offensive games when first entering the league who expanded them and became established players.
With Casey under a lengthy extension and four rookies providing the Motor City with great optimism, a Piston turnaround can't be too far off, can it?
"The chemistry is coming," Stewart said. "We're trying to build on that every day."
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