NBA Hands Out Discipline for Ugly Pistons-Hornets Brawl

The NBA has issued fines and suspensions for Monday night’s brawl between the Pistons and Hornets.

The incident started when Charlotte’s Moussa Diabaté fouled Detroit’s Jalen Duren as he attempted a shot in the lane with 7:09 left in the third quarter. The two got in each other’s faces and put their heads together before Duren shoved Diabaté in his face with his right hand, setting things off.

The ensuing brawl lasted nearly a minute, and escalated when Diabaté threw a punch at Duren while being held back by Tobias Harris. Duren continued to walk away, but Miles Bridges ran up to him and threw a left-handed punch, to which Duren responded with a punch of his own. Diabaté again rushed back into the fray but was held back.

At that point, Isaiah Stewart left the bench to attack Bridges, who threw a punch in response. Stewart had Bridges in a headlock at one point and landed multiple punches to his head.

Diabaté and Bridges were ejected, as were Duren and Stewart. Charlotte coach Charles Lee was later ejected in the fourth quarter after arguing a call and had to be held back from going after an official.

Detroit eventually won the game 110–104.

NBA fines, suspensions for Pistons-Hornets brawl

The NBA has suspended Stewart for seven games as a result of his role in the brawl. He was cited with “leaving the bench area, aggressively entering an on-court altercation, and fighting” in the NBA release.

Bridges and Diabaté were each hit with four-game suspensions and Duren will miss two games after the scuffle.

Stewart and Duren’s suspensions begin Wednesday, when the Pistons face the Raptors on the road, and will continue after the All-Star break with both players missing a Feb. 19 game against the Knicks. Stewart will miss additional games against the Bulls, Spurs, Thunder, Cavaliers and Magic.

Bridges and Diabaté will begin their suspensions Wednesday against the Hawks, and will miss post-All-Star break games against the Rockets, Cavaliers and Wizards.

Isaiah Stewart suspension history

Stewart has a lengthy history of suspensions in his six-year NBA career, and this is just the latest.

On Nov. 21, 2021, Stewart was involved in an incident with Lakers star LeBron James. James hit Stewart in the face while battling for a rebound and the then-second-year forward attempted to attack the four-time MVP. Stewart was ejected and suspended for two games.

On Feb. 14, 2024, Stewart was arrested for assault in Phoenix after punching Suns center Drew Eubanks in the parking lot before a game. He was suspended for three games. The assault charge was later dropped.

On Jan. 29, 2025, Stewart was ejected from a game against the Pacers after earning a flagrant 2 foul for shoving Indiana center Thomas Bryant. It was his sixth flagrant foul of the season, earning him a one-game suspension.

On March 30, 2025, Stewart was hit with a technical foul for shoving Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo, then put forward Naz Reid in a chokehold, which earned him an ejection. He was suspended for two games “based in part on his repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts.” Ouch.

His involvement in Monday night’s brawl was just the latest in a long pattern for Stewart.

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