Isaiah Stewart‘s role under new head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is among the questions facing the Pistons as they prepare for training camp, writes Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Stewart played nearly all his minutes at center during his first two NBA seasons, but that changed when the team added Jalen Duren in 2022. Langlois notes that Stewart was used at power forward 75% of the time last season, but his primary position is less certain than ever with a revamped roster.
Other than Stewart and Duren, offseason addition Paul Reed is Detroit’s only player who projects as a center. The Pistons claimed the four-year veteran after the Sixers waived him in July. Reed has shown promise backing up Joel Embiid in Philadelphia.
Detroit also added ex-Sixer Tobias Harris in free agency, and Langlois notes that he and Simone Fontecchio are examples of modern stretch fours. It’s possible that Bickerstaff could choose to dedicate the power forward minutes to those two proven three-point shooters, leaving Stewart to battle for playing time in the middle.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Mending fences with Zach LaVine should be one of the priorities for the Bulls as they get ready for camp, observes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. The front office began trying to trade LaVine last fall in what was hoped to be the first step of a roster makeover. However, his massive contract and injury history doomed trade efforts and forced the team to keep him. LaVine is still owed $138MM over the next three years, so the Bulls need to build up his trade value ahead of the February deadline. Cowley states that coach Billy Donovan took the first step toward mending their relationship when he visited LaVine in Los Angeles this summer.
- With their roster virtually set for the upcoming season, the Pacers are facing three option decisions that should be easy, per Tony East of Sports Illustrated. Indiana has until October 31 to pick up the third-year options for Ben Sheppard and Jarace Walker, along with the fourth-year option for Bennedict Mathurin. All three players appear to be part of the team’s future, so there’s no reason to part with any of them. The options would pay Sheppard $2.8MM, Walker $6.6MM and Mathurin $9.1MM for the 2025/26 season.
- The Pacers announced in a press release that they have added Dr. Jaimie Rubin as Director of Sport Psychology and Team Wellness.
Isiah Stewartis an old school 4. Like Achiuwa. You can always use that. They play both ways. They give you decent to solid numbers. Bulls would be smart to get him. Still young enough to make an impact.
No way Stewart is going to the Bulls as a PF. Bulls just signed Pat Williams to a $100M deal.
Stewart’s 4 year deal at $18M/yr, which kicks in this year, was done by Troy Weaver 15 months ago. But moving Stewart to the 4 this season was a catastrophe. Stewart still defends well inside, but he was completely lost offensively playing away from the basket. Although he shot the 3 ball well, it was clear to all that it’s too late in his career to become a PF. That’s why Langdon’s first move was to sign, one, Tobias Harris to multi-year deal at $25M. And then Simone Finochio, who the Pistons use a stretch 4, was extended.
Pistons aren’t going to pay Stewart $100M to sit behind Duren and Tobias. His future appears to be as a defensive-oriented, if undersized, small-ball center. If he can establish that he can shoot the 3, that will help. He’s an intriguing player, but he’ll need to find the right team.
Except Patrick Williams isn’t a 4, Will never be a 4, Only an idiot would try to play him as a 4 and should never again be called a 4. There’s that.
Some don’t get what a 4 is or does …
The key is in the title. Power. Williams has none, Or no desire to be one.
Al , you really do live in your own private universe huh? Maybe you can enlighten everybody from the Bulls, to Billy Donovan (who has pencilled him in as PF before every career start), and to the NBA that they’ve got it all wrong.
How about when the NBA says he’s only played 1 position your entire career, and it’s PF.
link to basketball-reference.com
Here’s another clue: the other players that he’s played alongside for the past 3 years play positions he doesnt and will never be called a PF:. Vucevic (C), DeRozan (SF) , Lavine (SG).
Here’s another clue: when the Bulls announce his 5 year rookie extension, they refer to him as “established Power Forward”.
Exactly this. Patrick Williams is not a 4…He’s been badly misused because the Bulls haven’t had a real 4 on their roster in idk how long…
UncleMike , well, I guess that makes everyone from Billy Donovan, Patrick Williams himself, and anybody who’s ever watched the Bulls play an “idiot”. Because those are the people who call him a “Power Forward”.
The NBA says you’ve only played 1 position your entire career, and it has a “P” before the “F” :
link to basketball-reference.com
Here’s another clue: the other players that you’ve played alongside with during your career play positions you don’t and will never be called a PF:. Vucevic (C), DeRozan (SF) , Lavine (SG).
Here’s another clue: when the team announces your 5 year rookie extension, they refer to you as their “established Power Forward”.
“Here’s another clue: the other players that you’ve played alongside with during your career play positions you don’t and will never be called a PF:. Vucevic (C), DeRozan (SF) , Lavine (SG).”
You do realize this undercuts your own position, right? It makes clear that he was only playing at the 4 because the other long-term pieces on the roster were even less viable options there. In a world where you would seek to build a proper roster with players playing at their proper positions—a world the Bulls have not inhabited since he came into the league—Patrick Williams would be a 3.
Frankly, I think it’s pretty telling that the basis for your argument rests solely on “He’s always been a 4, therefore he must be a 4” instead of any basketball reasons which would support that position. He’s undersized as a 4 and a horrible rebounder. What serious contender could you imagine wanting to play him significant minutes there even with an uptick in general performance? The answer is none.
Shea , one more thing: I think you missed the broader context of the thread and my original statement, which is that the Bulls weren’t likely to trade for Isaiah Stewart to play PF, given the recent extension to Williams for almost $100M.
Again, I’m not making any case for which player is better, or for which better fits the Bulls’ needs at PF. (Stewart also doesn’t have the skillset of a modern 4, but that’s another discussion.) My comments are based strictly on the REALITY of the Bulls commitment to Williams as a PF.
Can you really call it a commitment to him as a PF, though, given the team’s rebuilding status and desire to move LaVine sooner rather than later? I think it’s simply a commitment to him as a young player with potential, irrespective of the position he plays. Although I get what you’re saying in the short-term.
In any event, I do agree on Stewart. If the Bulls do end up acquiring him, it will be to play the 5 rather than the 4. And that would be the case whether Williams is playing at the 4 pre-Lavine trade or at the 3 post-Lavine trade.
Not to mention that Aristotle literally said the Bulls signed Patrick Williams to a 100 million dollar contract to play PF and then in a later post said he didn’t say that. That’s not very Aristotle like is it? It doesn’t matter if Stewart is a 5 or a 4 then the Bulls would have Allen to play some 4 and Stewart to be a 5 which is fine by me. they really need somebody who can board and can bail out Vujevic as he ages and can’t guard the best C’s anymore. When you look at Donavan’s coaching philosophy of having Guards who can’t shoot, Forwards who don’t rebound and a general lack of a system or at least one that works in place that is pitiful. After an impressive first year AK and Eversley have dropped the Ball literally by not replacing him in any way and giving LaVine that stupid deal and never signing any decent PF. They gave a guy 45 million a year who the coach didn’t like and never really led any team to the Playoffs, Which would have been a prerequisite for me to give somebody 45 million a year. Don’t know about you guys.
Shea , I agree with everything you say in the 2nd paragraph. Stewart is a 5 and Williams is a 4/3.
I don’t follow the Bulls closely (as you obviously do), so feel free to straighten me out on the following:
1. Vucevic has to be moved as well in the near-term since the Bulls are tanking, and he brings wins.
2. Bulls are committed to 4 young players they want to maximize playing time for starting now: Giddey (PG), White (SG), and Butelis (PF).
3. Lavine and Vucivic will be exchanged for a combination of youth, draft picks, and expiring contracts, and, ideally, none of these acquisitions should impede the playing time of those 4 young players… With the exception that the uhh acquire a young player that is superior to those 4 (which seems unlikely).
4. They need a replacement for Vucivic that can add to the young core. Jalen Smith is a candidate, but he looks more like a rotation piece.
Is that about right?
Aristotle- Hard to call you Aristotle when you are a self described idiot. Patrick Williams isn’t a 4. Just because the Bulls and Donovan continue to stupidly play him there and are idiots. This is the organization that has played, In no particular order-Caruso, Javonte Green and Torrey Craig also as 4’s to their never ending beatings they endured. Anyone who has ever watched a basketball game agrees Williams is no 4. Just because whatever dumb post you read calls him that doesn’t make the obvious not true. For instance I can say That Kirk Heinrich is the Greatest C I’ve ever seen and it doesn’t make it so. The Bulls are idiots from the owner on down and I doubt anybody would disagree with that fact. Except maybe a self described but completely wrong Aristotle. Aristotle- Now that’s funny.
Shea , you miss my point. I’m not saying Williams is a “true” PF. (I agree that he doesn’t rebound well and is on the small side).
I’m saying only that the Bulls have made a commitment to him as their PF, both in the past and for the foreseeable future. That’s not my opinion. It’s indisputable that the Bulls have called him their PF in the past, and they’ve just declared so publicly, when signing him to a $100M contract while drafting a pure SF in the first round.
UncleMike , you need to read more closely before calling everybody “idiots”. I NEVER said that Williams was a true PF. I happen to AGREE with you: he hasn’t shown enough ability to rebound and he’s light.
What I DID say was that the Bulls have have used him exclusively as a 4 and have announced their intention to use him as a 4 in the future, and have confirmed that with a big contract.
The context for this thread was whether the Bulls should acquire Isaiah Stewart to play PF. My point was that Chicago is iikely to do that given the new contract for Williams.
And I never said that the Bulls haven’t played Williams as a 4 but not exclusively, Only that it never has or ever will work. You can call him anything you want but he’ll never be a 4. The Bulls are idiots for playing him there and I’ve never said otherwise. In fact if you’ve ever bothered to watch a Bulls game and have seen Vujevic try to defend Embid or any of the real C’s in the league it’s comical, Especially when you consider the Bulls have never given him a real 4 to play with to help him in any way whatsoever. And the Bulls should ABSOLUTELY acquire anybody who remotely resembles a 4 in any way because they never have. Liddell is a guy who might be able to do it if his knee is OK. But he’s no real long term answer even if it is. And Buzelis isn’t either before anyone goes there. Their ridiculous refusal to address the problem in any real way is why they stink and will never really improve until they do. And Donovan is an idiot.
Agreed. Williams isn’t a 4. For better or worse, the Bulls should just give Williams the role that DeRozan had while with the Bulls. See what Williams is really capable of.
I have no opinion on Williams’ ability as a 4, but:
1. Bulls intend to play him (…or, they wouldn’t have given him a huge contract. And they’re paying him
more than 2x as much as the only other candidate for to play the 4, FA signee Jalen Smith)
2. There are no minutes for him at the 3, with Lavine (until he’s traded) and Buzelis ahead of him.