Isaiah Stewart Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Stewart, Silas, Wiseman

July 11th, 2023 at 8:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Cade Cunningham missed most of last season with a shin injury but it wasn’t a wasted year, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. The top pick of the 2021 draft firmly established himself as a team leader.

“His voice is always in the locker room. His voice is always in our ears,” center Jalen Duren said. “For me, for sure, and (Jaden Ivey) coming in as rookies, he was always giving us advice and walking us through everything. Him not being on the floor, we didn’t lose a step with him in his voice and his appearance. He was always around. That’s just testament to who he is as a person. He’s a guy who just loves to work. He’s a guy who’s a leader at heart. That’s just who he is.”

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The front office had additional motivation to sign Isaiah Stewart to a four-year extension, James Edwards III of The Athletic opines. Stewart was part of general manager Troy Weaver’s first draft class with the organization. The team’s lottery pick that year, Killian Hayes, is unlikely to stick around long-term since Weaver has drafted guards Cunningham, Ivey, and Marcus Sasser, along with trading for Monte Morris. The other first-rounder in 2020, Saddiq Bey, was dealt at the trade deadline last February. Optically, it was important for the rebuilding franchise to have something to show for its initial draft class, according to Edwards.
After serving as the Rockets’ head coach for three seasons during their rebuild, Stephen Silas believes he’s in the right spot as a top assistant to Monty Williams, he told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “It’s a good situation for me because I can take a lot of the experience that I had with the Rockets and pour it into this situation with these young guys and kind of see stuff before it’s coming after three years,” Silas said. “So it’s kind of good for me, and to work with Monty and the coaching staff and ownership and management, they’re all top-notch. It’s really fun.”
James Wiseman‘s assertiveness in two Summer League games has been one of the positives for the Pistons in Las Vegas, per Mike Curtis of The Detroit News (subscriber link). Wiseman has been effective both in the post and on perimeter jumpers. Wiseman has averaged 16.5 points in the two games while posting double-doubles both times. He’s eligible for an extension this offseason or else will be eligible for restricted free agency after next season.

Pistons Sign Isaiah Stewart To Four-Year Extension

July 11th, 2023 at 3:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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.

Central Notes: Pistons’ Lottery Pick, Stewart, Pacers, Crowder

June 18th, 2023 at 6:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It’s more likely that the Pistons will trade down in the draft than use the No. 5 overall pick to acquire a veteran player, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic. However, all options remain on the table for general manager Troy Weaver and his staff as the draft approaches.

If the Pistons keep the pick, they’ll be looking at five players that they recently worked out, barring some unforeseen development. Brothers Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson (Overtime Elite), Cam Whitmore (Villanova), Jarace Walker (Houston) and Taylor Hendricks (Central Florida) are the potential targets at that spot, Edwards says.

According to Edwards, Ausar Thompson has fans in the Pistons’ front office, as he’s more of a wing player than his brother, though both provide athleticism and size. Hendricks may seem like a bit of a long shot at that spot but he made a strong impression with the Pistons’ brass, particularly with his shooting, Edwards adds.

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In the same piece, Edwards reports that the Pistons have been fielding calls from numerous teams on big man Isaiah Stewart. As previously reported, one of those teams is the Celtics, who are looking to upgrade their frontcourt. Stewart’s defensive versatility and improving perimeter game intrigues many teams around the league. However, he was part of Weaver’s first draft class and it would be surprising if the Pistons moved on from Stewart, says Edwards, adding that it’s more likely the Pistons will sign the 22-year-old big man to a rookie scale extension. It would be the first time since Andre Drummond that a drafted Pistons player has signed a rookie extension with the franchise.
The Pacers are looking at two more draft prospects on Monday — forwards Toumani Camara (Dayton) and Maxwell Lewis (Pepperdine), Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets. Lewis is ranked No. 31 on ESPN’s Best Available list and he could be a candidate for either of Indiana’s two late first-round selections (Nos. 26 and No. 29) or early second-rounder (No. 32). Camara is ranked No. 52.
The coaching change in Milwaukee might alter the equation, but Jae Crowder‘s future with the Bucks is cloudy at best, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Crowder will be an unrestricted free agent unless he agrees to an extension before free agency begins. Crowder has been searching for a big payday — a big reason why he sought a trade from Phoenix — and he probably won’t get that from Milwaukee.

Atlantic Rumors: Celtics, I. Stewart, C. Johnson, Harden, More

June 16th, 2023 at 12:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics are exploring ways to improve their roster, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who suggests that a sign-and-trade of forward Grant Williams or a trade involving one or more of the team’s guards are among the options in play. Brian Robb of MassLive.com published a similar report, suggesting that a source told him Boston has been one of the most active teams on the trade market.

According to Robb, the Celtics are looking into whether they’ll be able to move a player from their crowded backcourt in order to balance their roster and upgrade at another position. Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Malcolm Brogdon, and Payton Pritchard are all under contract for next season.

While Pritchard is the most logical trade candidate, given that he sought a change of scenery during the 2022/23 season and wasn’t part of the Celtics’ playoff rotation, it might make more sense for Boston to move one of its higher-paid guards, Robb writes. That would allow the Celtics to bring back a bigger salary in a trade or would help create flexibility to re-sign Williams.

Interestingly, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic says (via Twitter) that the Celtics are among the teams to inquire about Isaiah Stewart. However, Edwards doesn’t expect the Pistons to move Stewart, who will be extension-eligible this offseason.

Here are a few more rumors from around the Atlantic, including another one that involves the Pistons:

Following the Pistons‘ hiring of Monty Williams, Nets restricted free agent forward Cameron Johnson – who played for Williams in Phoenix – is rising on Detroit’s list of free agent targets, according to Marc Stein at Substack. But Brooklyn is “quietly expressing confidence” about its ability to retain Johnson, says Stein, which suggests the team either knows what it will take to re-sign him or fully intends to match any offer he receives as a restricted free agent.
If the Nets commit to a lucrative new deal for Johnson, will they have to cut costs elsewhere? Stein notes that forward Dorian Finney-Smith is still viewed as a “prime trade candidate,” while Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer hears from sources that Brooklyn has received calls about both Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports shares a few Sixers-related tidbits in his latest round-up of rumors from around the NBA, writing that the team appears to prefer another short-term deal with free-agent-to-be James Harden and citing sources who say Philadelphia is “actively seeking” opportunities to trade into the second round of next week’s draft. The 76ers don’t currently own a 2023 draft pick.

Pistons Rumors: Burks, Grant, Johnson, Bogdanovic, Frontcourt, More

June 9th, 2023 at 12:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons are expected to pick up their $10.5MM team option on veteran swingman Alec Burks for the 2023/24 season, Michael Scotto said during the latest episode of The HoopsHype podcast. However, Scotto’s guest James L. Edwards of The Athletic believes Detroit will be in the market for at least one more three-and-D wing in free agency, naming Jerami Grant and Cameron Johnson as potential targets.

If the Trail Blazers hang onto Damian Lillard and continue trying to contend immediately, Grant may simply re-sign in Portland. But if the Blazers pivot to a rebuild, the Pistons should be considered a prime suitor for the veteran forward, according to Edwards, who notes that Grant still has a great relationship with general manager Troy Weaver and loves the city of Detroit.

Should the Pistons strike out on top-tier targets like Grant and Johnson, they could pursue lower-level free agents such as Torrey Craig and Yuta Watanabe, per Edwards.

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Scotto has heard that the Pistons still consider Bojan Bogdanovic a core piece, and Edwards agrees that the team seems to want to keep him rather than move him. Still, Edwards notes that if the team makes a big addition at forward (such as Grant or Johnson) and gets a good offer for Bogdanovic, a trade isn’t out of the question.
Scotto has spoken to rival executives who think the addition of James Wiseman to a frontcourt that also includes Jalen Duren and Marvin Bagley III could land Isaiah Stewart on the trade block. Edwards is skeptical though, suggesting that the Pistons saw an opportunity to roll the dice on Wiseman and still like the big men they’ve drafted. “As someone who’s on the ground floor, I think the situation has been misinterpreted a little bit,” Edwards told Scotto. “I think it’s far more likely that Duren and Stewart are the frontcourt. I think Wiseman was a guy they had a chance to get that they liked coming into his draft and see if they could unlock some potential as a backup big or starting big. Right now, it’s Duren and Stewart’s frontcourt job.” Stewart is more likely to be extended than traded this summer, Edwards adds.
Killian Hayes is open to signing a rookie scale extension with Detroit this offseason, according to Scotto. Edwards expects the Pistons to hold off on a new deal though, suggesting the team will wait another year and then evaluate Hayes’ situation in 2024, when he’s eligible for restricted free agency.
Before the Pistons made a last-minute push to hire Monty Williams as their head coach, they were preparing to offer the job to Charles Lee. “His second interview really sealed that home for a lot of people, everyone in the front office, until they sat down as a group, I’m told, and explored and made sure this was what they wanted to do,” Edwards said. “The owner brought up bringing one more run at Monty. They make the run, break the bank, and Monty is the coach.”

Isaiah Stewart Likely Out For Season With Shoulder Injury

March 9th, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Rory Maher

An MRI on Tuesday revealed that Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart has a left shoulder impingement, Detroit announced. He will continue to rehabilitate the injury and will be reevaluated in three-to-four weeks, per the team.

Stewart initially injured the shoulder in January, causing him to miss a handful of games. He has been sidelined since February 25 due to a separate injury (right hip soreness).

With the worst record in the NBA (15-51) and only 16 games remaining on their schedule, there’s little reason to believe the Pistons will rush Stewart back to play again this season. He joins Hamidou Diallo and Bojan Bogdanovic as Pistons who might miss the rest of the season.

Through 50 games, including 47 starts, Stewart averaged a career-high 11.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, and 1.4 APG on .442/.327/.738 shooting. The primary reason his FG% is down compared to the previous two seasons is that he expanded his offensive repertoire, as he attempted nearly as many threes as twos in ’22/23.

Stewart also slid down to power forward for a significant chunk of his playing time this season, which was a big change. He had played center almost exclusively in his first two seasons.

Still just 21 years old, the former 16th overall pick will be eligible for a rookie scale extension in the offseason. While Stewart is sidelined, Marvin Bagley III and James Wiseman should continue to see plenty of playing time, at least until rookie center Jalen Duren returns from his own injury (bilateral ankle soreness).

Pistons Notes: Bogdanovic, Ivey, Injuries, Omoruyi

March 8th, 2023 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic has sat out the last three games with what the team is referring to as bilateral Achilles tendinopathy. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, that ailment could jeopardize the rest of Bogdanovic’s season.

Charania has heard that the Pistons are considering taking precautionary measures to manage Bogdanovic’s health and may soon to decide to shut him down.

Certainly, the Pistons aren’t in desperate need of Bogdanovic’s contributions on the court down the stretch. Detroit signed the veteran to a contract extension last fall and has repeatedly suggested it views him as a player who can help the team return to playoff contention next season, but that’s not happening this year — the 15-51 Pistons currently have the NBA’s worst record, so the only race they’ll be involved in during the next few weeks is the one for the league’s top draft lottery odds.

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Pistons rookie Jaden Ivey is showing real signs of progress as a ball-handler and play-maker in the second half of the season, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Since January 6, Ivey has averaged 16.1 points and 6.1 assists per game on .433/.358/.746 shooting in 24 appearances (30.8 MPG). He has been even better as of late, racking up 39 points and 25 assists in his last two contests. The next step for Ivey will be figuring out how to share those ball-handling and play-making duties with Cade Cunningham next season.
With several players, including Bogdanovic, Isaiah Stewart (right hip soreness), and Jalen Duren (bilateral ankle soreness) on the shelf this week, Eugene Omoruyi has gotten a chance to play for the Pistons since signing a 10-day contract on Friday, notes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber-only story). “He’s just a dog, especially on both ends of the floor,” James Wiseman said of his new teammate, who had 15 points and six rebounds in 23 minutes on Tuesday. “But really just locking up the rebounds and just being in there and mucking everything up on defense and being an energy guy. That’s what we needed to get over the hump, especially for this game. I feel like he was a great piece for our team.”
In case you missed it, an ankle injury will sideline Hamidou Diallo for at least the next few weeks, and possibly for the rest of the season.

Pistons Notes: Wiseman, Draft, Bagley, Ivey, Duren

February 27th, 2023 at 9:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons gambled on James Wiseman‘s potential, trading away steady forward Saddiq Bey in the process, and they’re confident he’ll be part of their future, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes.

Coach Dwane Casey said the staff is working on the “little things” to maximize Wiseman’s growth.

“He has all the athletic skills,” Casey said. “The length, the size and that’s something that’s helped our defense, having that deterrent at the rim, that 7-footer at the rim to block shots. He’s done a good job of that. Just now learning all the little things, footwork in the post, not letting them push him off his sweet spot in the post. Command your spot. That’s what the coaches now are working on him with that.”

Wiseman had 23 points and seven rebounds in a loss to Charlotte on Monday.

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So what will the Pistons do if they don’t win the lottery and the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes? James Edwards III of The Athletic explores that scenario, predicting which players the team would select in the 2-6 range. Edwards still sees Detroit taking Scoot Henderson at No. 2 despite drafting guards Killian Hayes, Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey in the lottery the past three years. However, other teams would make significant trade offers to the Pistons if they get the No. 2 pick, Edwards notes.
Marvin Bagley III erupted for season highs of 21 points and 18 rebounds against Toronto on Saturday after he missed nearly two months due to a fractured right hand. After re-signing Bagley last summer, the Pistons want to see more of that on a consistent basis, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press writes. “He told on himself when he got 18 rebounds,” Casey said. “So now we’re looking for 18 rebounds (Monday) night, the next night, the next night, or close to it. Let’s be consistent.”
Ivey missed Monday’s game due to personal reasons,, Sankofa tweets. Fellow rookie Jalen Duren missed his second straight game with ankle soreness. Bojan Bogdanovic (Achilles soreness) and Isaiah Stewart (hip) also sat out.

Pistons Notes: Wiseman, Hampton, Cunningham, Grant, Bagley

February 22nd, 2023 at 5:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons have been out of the playoff race for a long time, but they still have some important work to do in their final 23 games, observes Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Part of that mission includes seeing what they have in a pair of reclamation projects who were once considered elite draft prospects.

James Wiseman was acquired from the Warriors at the trade deadline, but because a health issue involving Gary Payton II held up the deal, Wiseman only appeared in one game before the All-Star break. He displayed a glimpse of the potential that caused Golden State to take him with the No. 2 pick in 2020, posting 11 points and five rebounds in 24 minutes.

Detroit has to determine how Wiseman can fit with the team’s other young big men. He has been used exclusively at center during his brief NBA career, but Langlois believes the Pistons will want to test out a lineup with Wiseman at power forward alongside rookie center Jalen Duren. The addition of another seven-footer seems to indicate that Isaiah Stewart will now be used primarily at power forward, Langlois adds.

Detroit will reportedly sign R.J. Hampton sometime after he clears waivers on Thursday. Hampton hasn’t made an impact in his first two NBA stops, but he’s only 22 and a rebuilding team like the Pistons could give him an opportunity for regular playing time.

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Cade Cunningham is still recovering from season-ending shin surgery in December, but the Pistons are optimistic about his long-term prognosis, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press writes in a mailbag column. Cunningham hasn’t been cleared to play 5-on-5 yet, but team officials believe he’ll be ready for full summer workouts once the season ends. Sankofa notes that Cunningham has been dealing with soreness in his left shin for several years, so there’s hope that he’ll be pain-free next season.
Jerami Grant could become a target for the Pistons in free agency, Sankofa adds. Grant, who Detroit traded to the Trail Blazers last summer, hasn’t decided on a four-year, $112MM extension offer from Portland. If he turns it down, Sankofa sees Grant as an obvious target for general manager Troy Weaver, who could have up to $40MM in cap space to work with this offseason.
Marvin Bagley III participated in most of Wednesday’s practice and coach Dwane Casey said he’s close to returning, Sankofa tweets. Bagley has missed the past 19 games after having surgery on his right hand.

Pistons Rumors: Bogdanovic, Burks, Bey, Noel, Stewart, More

February 5th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons‘ stance on Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks, and Saddiq Bey doesn’t appear to have changed much in the last month, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic writes in his latest trade deadline preview.

According to Edwards, while Detroit is open to discussing and moving any of those three players if the price is right, the team is asking for a lot and seems happy to retain them through the deadline, given that all three are under contract at relatively team-friendly prices for next season.

While some league sources have expressed to The Athletic that they’d be surprised if Bey is moved, Edwards gets the sense that the third-year forward may be a more likely trade candidate than Bogdanovic or Burks. The Pistons’ asking price for Bogdanovic is very high, and Edwards believes the club is more likely to extend Burks (in the offseason) than to trade him.

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Although the Pistons are high on Isaiah Livers‘ potential to develop into a solid three-and-D player, according to Edwards, they’re also prioritizing three-and-D wings in potential trades. First-round picks (ideally unprotected) and a three-and-D wing are two of the top items on the team’s wish list at the trade deadline, Edwards notes.
Edwards adds the Sixers and Celtics to the list of teams that have recently called the Pistons to inquire about center Nerlens Noel. He also mentions Miami, Denver, Dallas, and Sacramento, whose interest in Noel has been previously reported.
Of Detroit’s three 2020 first-round picks, Isaiah Stewart is the most likely to be extended during the coming offseason, in Edwards’ view. Bey and Killian Hayes are the other two players in that trio.
Edwards says he wouldn’t be surprised if veteran guard Cory Joseph is included in a deadline deal and advises not to rule out the possibility of a reunion between Jerami Grant and the Pistons in the offseason. Although Detroit will have significant cap space and Grant seems to be in no rush to accept a four-year extension offer from the Trail Blazers, the idea that he’d return to the Pistons seems like a long shot to me.