Pistons trade Stewart to Grizzlies for draft picks
The Detroit Pistons have agreed to send backup centre Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for three future second-round draft selections, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.
The transaction provides Detroit with immediate roster flexibility as the franchise navigates an approaching free agency period. Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon faces decisions regarding several key contributors, including Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris, and Kevin Huerter, all of whom are set to become unrestricted free agents. By moving Stewart, who has two years and $30 million remaining on his contract with a team option for the 2027-28 season, the Pistons aim to create cap space and structural agility for the upcoming summer.
Stewart, 25, provided significant production off the bench for a Detroit squad that recorded 60 wins last season, topping that mark for the first time in two decades. He averaged 10 points, five rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game, finishing seventh in the voting for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. Despite the regular-season success, the Pistons were eliminated in the second round by the Cleveland Cavaliers, the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
For the Memphis Grizzlies, the acquisition integrates Stewart into a developing frontcourt core. He joins third overall pick Cameron Boozer, 21st pick Karim Lopez, and seven-foot-three centre Zach Edey. Lopez was also acquired from Detroit on Tuesday, while Edey missed the majority of last season due to multiple ankle procedures. The Grizzlies are utilising Stewart to add experience and defensive presence to a young group focused on long-term rebuilding.
The trade follows a series of moves initiated by Langdon on Tuesday, where the Pistons traded up from the 21st to the 17th pick to select guard Ebuka Okorie from Stanford. That move involved sending three second-round picks to Memphis, who had previously acquired the selection from the Oklahoma City Thunder. The subsequent deal for Stewart sends three second-round picks back to Detroit, effectively balancing the asset exchange between the two franchises.
The move underscores Detroit’s strategy to manage its roster composition ahead of significant contract negotiations. While the team secured the top seed in the East, the second-round exit highlighted the need for strategic adjustments. The influx of draft capital offers Langdon additional tools to reshape the roster, particularly as he evaluates the future of his current core players in a competitive conference landscape.
