Isaiah Stewart Trade Grade: Did the Memphis Grizzlies Win?
· Yahoo Sports
The Memphis Grizzlies are rebuilding, but they may not wait very long before they start trying to win games.
Why would they? The league's flattened lottery odds have made bottoming out far less rewarding than it used to be, so there's little upside in losing on purpose. Memphis also owns a deep stash of future first-round picks and swaps from other teams, which means the rebuild doesn't hinge on its own draft position. So the Grizzlies look likely to kick off the Cameron Boozer era by winning as many games as they can. That would explain why they just acquired Isaiah Stewart from the Detroit Pistons.
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Was it the right move?
Grizzlies Make Bold Move With Stewart TradeFirst, let's review the details.
Memphis Grizzlies receive:
- Isaiah Stewart
Detroit Pistons receive:
- 2029 second-round pick (most favorable of Knicks, Pistons, Bucks)
- 2031 second-round pick (via Mavericks)
- 2032 second-round pick (via Pistons)
Notably, those are the same three second-rounders Detroit sent Memphis the night before, when the Pistons traded up from No. 21 to draft Ebuka Okorie. A day later, the Grizzlies flipped them right back to land Stewart.
Now, the player.
If one word describes Stewart, it's "tough." If Memphis wants to revive its "Grit and Grind" identity, this is the type of player it'll want.
Defensively, Stewart is one of the best rim protectors in the NBA, and he can survive in space. He's a high-end defensive big with a never-ending motor.
But what about the other end?
Stewart's offensive limitations are likely what led Detroit to move him. At one point, he was a legitimate stretch big. In 2023-24, he hit better than 38% of his roughly 3.8 threes per game. That's looking like a career high, though. His volume cratered the following year, and he hasn't cleared 33% from deep since.
Can the Grizzlies find a use for him offensively?
Stewart Could Be a Steal for the GrizzliesIt's worth considering Detroit's roster. The Pistons lean heavily on a pair of non-spacers in Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren, so they arguably didn't have room for another weak shooter in the rotation.
Memphis is a different story. With Jaren Jackson Jr. now in Utah, there are big-man minutes to go around, and the pecking order isn't set. It's unclear whether the Grizzlies move Ja Morant, but if they do, they'll want a shooter at the point. Boozer should provide at least some spacing as he develops, so really it's only Zach Edey who looks like a tricky fit next to Stewart.
The Grizzlies can stagger those two. And Stewart is a capable enough shooter to share the floor with Edey in short stretches, at least in the regular season.
Will that hold up in the playoffs? That remains to be seen. For now, Memphis added a solid rotation player at what's probably a bit below market value. Good deal, but Stewart's offensive limitations keep it from a perfect grade.
Grade: B+