JULY 11: Stewart’s extension is now official, the Pistons announced today in a press release (Twitter link).
JULY 10: The Pistons have reached a four-year, $64MM rookie scale extension agreement with big man Isaiah Stewart, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
The contract averages out to $15MM per year with $4MM in total performance bonuses that could increase the value to the $64MM figure, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets. The fourth year will be a team option, he adds.
Stewart, 22, has played power forward and center during his three seasons with Detroit. He was acquired in a draft-day trade and selected with the No. 16 overall pick in 2020. He was part of the first rookie class drafted by current general manager Troy Weaver.
Stewart was limited to 50 games last season due to a left shoulder impingement. He didn’t play after Feb. 25 but did post a career-high 11.3 points per game before he was sidelined. Stewart also averaged 8.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists while trying to develop his outside game. He took an average of 4.1 three-pointers per contest and made 32.7% of his attempts.
Stewart is noted for his toughness and tenacity. The Pistons reportedly fielded numerous calls regarding Stewart’s availability this offseason — his defensive versatility and improving perimeter game intrigued many teams around the league, but Detroit was intent on keeping him.
With Jalen Duren and James Wiseman likely to share minutes at center, Stewart slots in at power forward on the current Pistons roster. He’ll battle for playing time with Marvin Bagley III and Isaiah Livers unless Weaver makes a trade.
It’s the first rookie scale extension the Pistons have agreed to since Tom Gores became the franchise’s owner in 2011. Andre Drummond signed a second contract following his rookie deal back in 2016 but he was a restricted free agent at the time.
Beef Stew
If the Hawks can sign Onyeka for somewhere around $70-80M/4yrs I’ll call that a huge W for the team
Stewart is an old school 4. But more mobile, better suited for todays game. I like him. He’s a solid rotation piece to me. Pistons know he’s wanted around the league. So signing him is all part of good business. I like him next to Wiseman or Duren.
They also have Duren and Wiseman, So I’m not sure he fits. But, it’s important not to lose the asset so it’s definitely a tradeable contract. They’re a really good young team.
The Pistons are headed in the wrong direction.
Detroit is already going the opposite direction of the league with unskilled, throwback centers in Duren and Wiseman. You now extend a thick-bodied post who should probably be playing center. Now he will continue at PF where he takes 4 three’s a game, and makes 32% of them. Your often-injured, former #1 overall pick point guard Cade Cunningham can’t shoot either. Last year’s Lottery Pick Jaden Ivey, hasn’t exactly been a marksman either. Ivey likes to handle the ball. Cunningham likes to handle the ball. #5 overall pick Ausar Thompson likes to handle the ball.
One of the worst roster constructions in recent memory.
Beef Stew is currently our best defender
Not even close lol…..
You think shooting is the new NBA … The Bill Russell Celtics were about shooters. The 68-75 Knicks were about shooters. Learn the history.
Pistons haven’t constructed anything yet. They have just been collecting talent. Now they have the coach they believe will take them to next level. They will construct their team. Accumulation of talent. Means assets they can move. Monty will build his core and decide on an offense. They are not even close to a done deal. You don’t build a team with 20 yr olds. You find out who stays and who goes.
Auser is a wing not a ball handler. And he’s there for his D. Cade just got there and you are already calling him injury prone. Relax man. Rome wasn’t built in a day. This team has more talent than most teams in NBA. It’s experience they lack. First you settle on a core. Then you build chemistry. When you build thru draft and youth this takes 5-6 yrs. Wait till they are past 24 yrs old .
Rookies came into league at 22-23 yrs old. And most weren’t ready then. A man’s body doesn’t even settle in till past 24. Except for a very few …. Get a grip
The Pistons are a complete mess. They cannot guard anybody. Whole league is moving away from traditional 5’s like Wiseman and Duren.
Shooting is not what the new NBA is “all” about. However, your chances of success are ZERO when you cannot shoot, AND you cannot defend. Arguably the worst shooting and defending team in the NBA.
Ausar is a slightly better shooting version of his brother, and is best with the ball in his hands.
Cade Cunningham is vastly overrated. Does a lot of things slightly above average with size, but can’t shoot, and doesn’t make his teammates better.
Jaden Ivey is just OK.
Isaiah Stewart is another 1st rounder that you call a solid “rotation” player. When are the Pistons gonna actually sign “starters” to their frontcourt and not rotation guys. The roster is filled with players other teams ain’t really that interested in.
If you enter today’s NBA at 19 like most do, and you ain’t figured it out by 22, you will be out of the league. You ain’t got until 24 anymore.
The 1960’s ended over 50 years ago bro. It ain’t about Willis Reed anymore. Ain’t he dead?
You’re so full of it. The whole League. What league you watch. Top two players in NBA
Embiid. Jokic …. Stop smoking that nonsense. First every team has or needs a rim protector. So they NEVER move away from bigs. Stop the foolishness.
Did you even watch the draft
Outside of Embiid and Jokic …. The league is moving toward Positionless basketball. The traditional 5-man is a complete defensive liability.
I watched the draft, and saw a 6’8 Center in Jarace Walker, who’s best skill is being switchable go in the Top 10. I watched a complete project in Derrick Lively go #12. Lively solely defense and rim protection.
No back-to-basket or traditional 5’s went to ANYBODY viewing them as a starter. Guys like Nurkic, Vucevic, Valunciunas are ALL defensive liabilities who get pulled at the end of games. Rim protectors is what is coming through. NOBODY coming in as a center dominating offensively. Embiid and Jokic will be the last of that.
James Wiseman … Lol … Golden State traded him and they don’t even have another real starting center. Can he shoot a 3 like Jokic or Embiid. How about pass. Can he score 5 feet from bucket??
Did you even watch the draft ?
The one where 2 bigs were drafted in the first rd ?
“The best skill is being switchable” — ok, so have you watched any film of Stewart defending the pick and roll? He’s really solid at picking up guards, that’s one of the reasons he’s so impactful on defense. Also you called Duren “unskilled” earlier … watch some of his passing highlights. Unskilled definitely isn’t the right word.
It’s NOT the 1960’s anymore Al.
That’s crazy bc he’s not very good.
Another ill advised early extension. It fits current practice, but that’s not a practice that fits the current CBA. Stewart has some virtues as a player, but hasn’t played much as a 4 (i.e., with another big) in his career. There was no real risk to DET in waiting to see if he can beat out his competition and become a real starting 4.
He’s wanted around the league. So it’s more value in trading a bigger salary. Frankly I think Duren can play the 4. He’s super athletic big. Knicks blew this pick.
Well, he’s got a Poison Pill contract now, so trades will be pretty much off the table this year.
Poison pill contract ???????
Relax he’s worth more than Brooks and makes less.
Nobody else has the money to pay him Very. You remember what a cap is. There were plenty of teams that wanted to trade for him. But now with a second salary. You can get real value back.
Like Knicks signing Quickley to trade him instead of at 4 mill. It’s NBA business
LOL. Al, maybe you should brush up on the NBA salary cap and trade rules. I’ll summarize: Early extensions like this one for Stewart result in something called Poison Pill contracts (where there is a big jump in salary from the current season to the following one). They are next to impossible to trade using the matching rules. You can find more by Googling the concept, if you’re interested. But rest assured that no team would ever do an early extension of a player on these numbers if the idea was to trade him.
Likewise, if the NYK extend Quickley in the 16 mm per year range, he almost certainly won’t be traded.
He was “wanted” …. Just nobody else was gonna give him $50+ million.
Way too much. Just giving money around.
Lebron fans punching the air right now..
He’s 21 yrs old. He’s played a total of 76 gms in two yrs. Avg 32.7 mins .
Just those mins is HUUuuuugggge deal
He’s an .85% FT shooter. He’ll learn to get his shot. So after 76 gms his splits don’t mean squat. Fact you can bash a kid who’s played 76 gms. Says more about you than him.
In 76 gms . 18 pts, 5.6 ast, 5.6 reb
That’s overrated. He’s got better stats than Wiggins …. A guy you also thought was a waste.
And I love Wiggins …
in 2021-22 his ring yr …….
Wiggins – 71 gms, 31.9 mins
17 pts, 2.2 ast, 4.5 reb
And you want to hate on Cade . For what. Why ?????
Cade will be better than Wiggins …. See me then