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Grizzlies trade for Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart

Memphis got the backup center its been searching for in a deal with the Pistons.
Landon Speck|
Apr 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart (28) reacts during the second half against the Orlando Magic during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Apr 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart (28) reacts during the second half against the Orlando Magic during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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Memphis GrizzliesDetroit Pistons

The Memphis Grizzlies are trading three future second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons for big man Isaiah Stewart, per ESPN's Shams Charania. This gives the Grizzlies a young enforcer to complement a growing young core, which includes first round picks Cameron Boozer and Karim Lopez as well as second-round pick Richie Saunders. The deal was made possible by Memphis accumulating extra picks when moving down to take Lopez on Tuesday.

Memphis will be sending back the same three second-rounders it received from Detroit on Tuesday in a deal that sent No. 17 from the Grizzlies to the Pistons for No. 21 and the three seconds, per Jake Fischer.

Stewart has two years remaining on his contract, earning $15 million in each season. The last year of the deal is a team option.

This move will likely use the non-taxpayers' mid-level exception.

In the end, the Grizzlies essentially traded Bennett Stirtz (No. 16 pick) for Stewart, Karim Lopez (No. 21 pick), and two second-round picks from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Stewart fills a gaping roster hole at backup center for Memphis. Acquiring frontcourt depth behind Zach Edey and Cameron Boozer was the obvious next move when looking at the roster.

The 6-8, 250-pound Stewart finished seventh in sixth man of the year voting in 2025-26, averaging 10 points, five rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in just 22.7 minutes per game. He is also just 24-years-old heading into his seventh NBA season.

Stewart is a menace on the defensive end, despite being only 6-8. He is an elite rim protector, mostly thanks to a 7-4 wingspan that allows him to play bigger than his listed height.

Offensively, Stewart has been respectable from beyond the arc, shooting a career 34.3 percent from three. He likely would have been named to an all-defense team had he reached the 65-game minimum required to win awards. Stewart played 58 games in 2025-26.

From a cultural standpoint, there might not be a more perfect fit. Stewart plays with a hard-nosed, rough and tough mentality that Memphis fans have long respected going back to the grit and grind era with Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Tony Allen, and Mike Conley.

The physicality of those teams is something Memphis has been missing, and adding Stewart to a frontcourt with Boozer and Edey feels like the Grizzlies are trying to get it back.

Now we wait to see what happens with Ja Morant, the former franchise point guard who remains on Memphis's roster.

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Landon Speck
LANDON SPECK

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