After being traded by the Detroit Pistons, big man Isaiah Stewart feels "wanted" by the Memphis Grizzlies.
Earlier this offseason, the Memphis Grizzlies acquired big man Isaiah Stewart from the Detroit Pistons.
The trade marked the end of an era for Stewart, who spent his first six NBA seasons with Detroit, but it sounds like he was ready for a change.
According to Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Stewart said that he felt like his time with the Pistons was ending last season, with the 25-year-old feeling unappreciated and confused by why things had changed. Stewart and his wife prayed for a trade to a team that valued him, per Spears, and now, the former first-round pick is set to begin a new chapter in Memphis.
Stewart said he didn't know how to feel when he first learned of the trade to the Grizzlies, but added that he wasn't mad and was happy about the new chapter.
“At first I was like, ‘Man, so first time I got traded in my career, and I’m in Memphis,'" he said, per Andscape. "New teammates, new guys in the system. My mind just started going that way. And I’m thankful because I’m somewhere where I’m really wanted. And the fanbase already respects and loves who I am. I’d rather be where I’m wanted than headed back into a situation where it’s not the best.”
While Stewart made it clear that he has tons of love for the city of Detroit, a change of scenery may prove to be an important step in his journey. He will have a chance to play a role in Memphis' rebuild, which is in full swing after the selection of rookie Cameron Boozer in the 2026 NBA Draft and the trade of former franchise cornerstone Ja Morant days later.
In his first four seasons with the Pistons, Stewart saw his role steadily increase year by year. That peaked with him averaging 30.9 minutes per game in the 2023-24 season in his third straight year as a consistent starter.
But his role started to diminish after that, as he largely came off the bench in each of the past two seasons and averaged 21.2 minutes per game overall. He still made the most of his role, especially this past season, as he averaged 10.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game en route to a seventh-place finish in the Sixth Man of the Year race. But the reduction in minutes had to be frustrating for him, especially in the playoffs, when he saw even less playing time.
Despite the ending, the Pistons reportedly had lots of love for Stewart and wanted to trade him somewhere where he could compete for more minutes.
Stewart told Andscape that he was embraced right away by his new Grizzlies teammates and staff after arriving in Memphis. He added that he is going to fall in love with the city.
There will likely be some growing pains for the Grizzlies in the coming years as they navigate their rebuild, but it will all be worth it if they end up in a better place, and Stewart is going to have a chance to be a part of the ride.
