When the Detroit Pistons traded Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this offseason, many fans were surprised to see one of the franchise’s longest-tenured players moved for future draft assets.
Now, a new report from Hunter Patterson of The Athletic has provided greater insight into why Detroit made the difficult decision.
While Stewart’s reduced role and emotional moments during the playoffs played a part, Patterson reports the biggest factor was far simpler: money.
Financial Flexibility Was the Driving Force
According to The Athletic, the Pistons’ decision to trade Stewart was primarily motivated by salary cap management.
Stewart was set to earn $15 million during the 2026-27 season. By moving his contract and replacing him with Paul Reed, who is scheduled to make $5.6 million, Detroit created considerably more financial flexibility.
The timing is especially significant with the Pistons working toward a new contract for restricted free agent Jalen Duren.
Depending on the structure of Duren’s eventual extension, Detroit could have been paying between $50 million and $60 million annually to its center position alone. Add in Cade Cunningham’s $50.1 million salary for next season, and the Pistons risked tying up an enormous percentage of their payroll in just two positions.
From a roster-building standpoint, Detroit’s front office determined that wasn’t a sustainable path.
Stewart’s Role Continued to Shrink
The financial aspect may have been the biggest reason behind the move, but it wasn’t the only one.
Stewart saw his role diminish throughout the postseason, averaging just 11.8 minutes per game, the fewest workload of any stretch during his NBA career.
As his playing time declined, frustration occasionally boiled over.
According to Patterson, Stewart had a verbal exchange with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff near halftime of Game 3 during Detroit’s first-round playoff series before the two quickly reconciled.
An even more heated incident reportedly occurred during Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After being substituted out, Stewart was reluctant to acknowledge Bickerstaff. Assistant coach Luke Walton attempted to intervene before Stewart brushed him off as well. The situation escalated when assistant coach Jarrett Jack exchanged words with Stewart, eventually requiring players to step in before the confrontation intensified.
Pistons Wanted to Help Stewart
Despite those emotional moments, Patterson reports there was no bad blood between Stewart and the organization.
League sources indicated the Pistons still valued Stewart and appreciated everything he contributed during his six seasons in Detroit.
Rather than simply moving on, Detroit reportedly wanted to put Stewart in a situation where he would have a better opportunity to earn consistent minutes. The same philosophy reportedly applied to Marcus Sasser, who was also traded this offseason.
The move also created an additional $15 million traded-player exception, giving President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon another valuable tool as he continues reshaping the roster.
The Bottom Line
Isaiah Stewart’s departure wasn’t driven by one playoff disagreement or one disappointing season.
According to The Athletic, the Pistons simply reached a point where the financial realities of building around Cade Cunningham and re-signing Jalen Duren made Stewart’s contract expendable. While Detroit hated to part with one of its emotional leaders, the move reflects a front office focused on long-term roster flexibility as it attempts to build a sustainable championship contender.
Richard Knight
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