The Detroit Pistons have the perfect modern big in Isaiah Stewart.
A lot of people have called Isaiah Stewart of the Detroit Pistons “old school” because of his physical style of play, but he’s actually tailor-made for the modern game.
Fans have become obsessed with the “stretch-five” the mythical center who shoots 3-pointers and spreads the floor for the modern space-and-pace offense.
The problem is that outside of a few players, these guys don’t exist.
If you watched the playoffs last year, it was true that hardly any of the best teams (except the Lakers) employed anyone that could be called a “traditional” center, but that doesn’t mean they were all chucking 3-point shots.
The Miami Heat made the finals using mostly 6-foot-9 Bam Adebayo at center, a guy who can shoot but is certainly not going to stretch the floor from behind the arc.
In many ways, Adebayo is the model of a modern center, which is exactly what the Detroit Pistons may have with Isaiah Stewart.
Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Stewart is the perfect center for the modern game
Defends Multiple Positions
Bam Adebayo led the Miami Heat defensively because he can defend multiple spots. If your center is only effective against “back-to-the-basket” big guys, then you have a problem.
Isaiah “Beef Stew” Stewart can do just that, as he has the strength to body just about anyone in the NBA and the quickness to stay in front of wings if that is what he is asked to do.
Centers who just stand in the lane waiting to block shots don’t have a place in today’s NBA, they need to fly all over the floor, as Adebayo did during Miami’s run to the Finals.
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.
Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Stewart will eventually be a reliable shooter
Has a reliable jumper
The thing that took Bam Adebayo from role player to All-Star was his improved shooting.
When he came into the NBA, Adebayo’s ceiling was basically a defensive power forward who would run the floor, but after he started knocking down 15-18 footers that ceiling changed.
Isaiah Stewart hasn’t shot the ball much outside of five feet and that’s fine for now, as the Detroit Pistons don’t need him chucking long-range shots.
But in the future? That shot will be there for Isaiah Stewart.
If you look at Adebayo’s rookie numbers and compare them to Stewart’s, they are nearly identical. Beef Stew has slightly better rebounding numbers and Bam has slightly better shooting numbers.
Adebayo’s field goal attempts and percentage have gone up every year since, something we can expect out of Stewart as he gets more comfortable. Keep in mind that Stewart is also a year younger than Adebayo was when he started.
There is evidence that Stewart will make a similar leap in the NBA, as he was a career 77 percent foul shooter in college, a statistic that usually foretells a big guy’s future jumper.
Stewart is already a force on the offensive glass and for now, he will get most of his points off putbacks, but if he eventually develops a mid-range jumper, his ceiling is considerably higher.
Isaiah Stewart has endeared himself to fans of the Detroit Pistons and the “Stew Crew” loves his relentless hustle and physical play.
But there is more to Stewart than just hustle and muscle, his ability to defend all over the floor, switch the perimeter and hit jumpers will eventually make him an ideal big man for today’s NBA.