Celtics Reportedly Interested in Trading for Isaiah Stewart

Isaiah Stewart would check a lot of boxes for the Celtics.

Al Horford will go from being on the Celtics' books for $26.5 million last season to $10 million for the coming campaign. He also might move to the bench, which would make it easier for Boston to manage its center rotation than if he starts alongside Robert Williams.

Between those two, Danilo Gallinari, who exercised his player option for next season, and at six-foot-ten, coming off an ACL tear and already not known for his mobility, might be best suited to play the five, and Luke Kornet, the organization could decide it's all set at that spot.

While it's unlikely that Kornet and Mike Muscala would be on the team in 2023-24, and the latter has a $3.5 million club option for the upcoming season while the former's owed $2.4 million, the franchise could choose Muscala. That also seems like a less likely outcome.

And as the Celtics sort out how best to move forward, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, they've checked in with the Pistons about Isaiah Stewart.

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The former first-round pick has played three NBA seasons but just turned 22 in May. He's also under contract for only $5.3 million for 2023-24, then has a $7.4 million qualifying offer attached to make him a restricted free agent next summer.

As for his game, Stewart has the defensive versatility to play the four and the five. He's also a beast on the boards, averaging 8.1 rebounds last season and 7.8 for his career. The former Washington Husky plays with a ton of energy and grit, something fans in Boston would love and those in Detroit have shown much appreciation for.

He's also showing encouraging progress beyond the arc, drilling 39 percent of his threes in December and going from launching less than one per game in 2021-22 to averaging 4.1 attempts last season, making 32.7 percent.

However, between what Stewart brings to the table, his age, salary, and long-range growth, he's likely someone the Pistons want to move forward with.

So, while he'd be capable of playing alongside Horford or Williams, a less expensive alternative to Grant Williams, and a reliable third layer of depth at center, Stewart's probably not leaving the Motor City.

Further Reading

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