The Detroit Pistons may have watched Isaiah Stewart take off in Memphis, but that hasn’t changed the bottom line: they’re still coming out ahead in the deal.
Stewart has been rolling with the Grizzlies, and the start has been impossible to ignore. He’s putting up a career-best 12.8 points per game while shooting 65 percent from the floor and 57 percent from 3-point range. Memphis is 6-1, and Stewart has already delivered a few huge performances, including a thunderous block that blew up on social media.
That kind of production naturally raises the question of whether Detroit gave up on the wrong guy. But the Pistons have plenty of reasons to feel good about how this played out, starting with Paul Reed.
Reed has been even better than Stewart so far. He’s averaging 13.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists, and he’s doing it on even sharper shooting numbers: 65 percent from the field and 71 percent from deep. He also brings a different kind of game, with a crafty touch around the rim and more offensive versatility than Stewart.
The defensive worries that came with moving Stewart haven’t shown up either. Detroit has started even better than it did last season and currently owns the league’s top defense. The Pistons have held opponents under 100 points in four of their seven games, and they’ve done most of that without Jalen Duren, meaning they’ve been getting it done without a true backup center.
The offense got most of the offseason buzz, but this team is still built on defense, and Stewart’s departure hasn’t changed that.
There’s also the money side of it. Reed is making roughly a third of Stewart’s salary, giving Detroit much more flexibility and making Stewart look like a luxury the Pistons didn’t really need.
Memphis got value too, landing an impactful player for a couple of second-round picks. But on the court and on the cap sheet, Detroit is winning this trade. It’s one of those rare deals where both sides can feel good, even if the Pistons still came out with the stronger hand.
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For teams around the league, including the Pistons, that uncertainty is exactly what makes this situation worth watching. Brooklyn has not made anything official beyond the trade itself, but the possibility of flipping Randle again would put a proven frontcourt piece back on the market and give interested teams another chance to weigh whether his contract lines up with their own direction. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Just Got A Reminder To Stay Patient On Wing Upgrades
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For Detroit, the more relevant comparison may already be in-house with Ron Holland, who has gotten off to a better start and looks like the more dependable bet for now. Holland is also the more cost-effective option, which matters for a front office trying to build without overcommitting assets. It is the kind of development that does not close the door on adding another wing later, but it does reinforce the value of patience when the alternatives come with a steep price and plenty of uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Duncan Robinson Is Becoming Too Important For The Pistons To Ignore
With injuries thinning the rotation, Duncan Robinson has quickly become more than a useful spacer for the Pistons. He is averaging 17.9 points per game on 44% shooting early in the season, and his 24-point night against the Charlotte Hornets was another reminder that Detroit has found a player who can do more than just stand in the corner and wait for a pass.
J.B. Bickerstaff has pointed to Robinsons off-ball movement and defensive work as part of what has made him so valuable on both ends, and the expanded role has followed. He is averaging 30 minutes per game and leads the Pistons with 2.0 steals per game, a sign that his influence is showing up far beyond the box score in a stretch where Detroit needs every reliable piece it can get. [Read more 🡒]