At some point the Detroit Pistons will have to trade a center and bring in more of a stretch four to balance out the roster, but the guy traded was never likely to be Isaiah Stewart.
The Pistons have locked up their defensive-minded big man with a four-year, $64 million extension off his rookie deal, a story broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and confirmed by others later.
This is the Pistons' first rookie extension since owner Tom Gores purchased the franchise in 2011 -- and the first for the organization since Jason Maxiell in 2008. (Andre Drummond’s 2016 deal was as a restricted free agent).
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 11, 2023
This will essentially be a mid-level exception contract once it kicks in in 2024-25 (Stewart will make $5.3 million this coming season on the final season of his rookie deal). Also, the final year of the four-year extension is a team option.
That seems about the fair market value for a player who is both an impactful defender as a starter and a flawed offensive player (knock off the team option year and it’s a 3-year, $48 million extension, right about what Naz Reid just got). If, as the Pistons hope, Jalen Duren grows into becoming the anchor in the paint for this team and they want a floor-spacing big next to him, this Stewart contract is tradable (and there have been teams calling in the past year asking about him, including the Celtics).
If Stewart’s offensive game improves, suddenly this contract is a steal. Last season he averaged 11.8 points a game but had a pedestrian 56 true shooting percentage and struggled from 3 (32.7%). The Pistons have made the bet Stewart takes a step forward on that end of the court.
With Stewart, Duren, Marvin Bagley III and James Wiseman on the Pistons’ roster all able to play center (Stewart splits time at the four right now), expect someone to get traded in the next year.
