Detroit Pistons: Old school Isaiah Stewart may be perfect modern center

Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Stewart may be the perfect modern big

Switchable

Another reason Adebayo is so effective for the Miami Heat is that he is able to switch on the perimeter pick-and-roll.

The PnR is the most commonly run play in the NBA, with teams looking to create mismatches when big men have to switch onto guards.

When your team has a center who can switch to these players without getting beat every time, your defense has a huge advantage. We saw this when Oklahoma City nearly knocked off the Warriors in 2016. They had switchable bigs who could defend the perimeter, so they didn’t have to try and run under or over screens.

Here you see Beef Stew (greatest nickname ever) switching onto the perimeter shooter, staying in front of him and making the shot difficult.

Isaiah Stewart has the quickness to stay in front of guards, which makes it harder for teams to create mismatches on the perimeter.

Stewart has shown the ability to close out on shooters and to not get beat off the dribble, which is exactly what you need from a modern big man.