The Detroit Pistons are following the Miami Heat model for team building

Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Stewart could be the next Bam Adebayo

A modern center

Another reason Miami is so good right now is that they have a star center in Bam Adebayo.

Adebayo definitely doesn’t fit the mold of a traditional center, as he is only 6-foot-9 but uses his combination of athleticism, strength and length to dominate most NBA bigs.

I wrote recently that Isaiah Stewart could be this type of modern center for the Detroit Pistons.

Beef Stew is about the same size as Adebayo and has a similar profile, though Stewart is a year younger than Adebayo was when he entered the league.

Both are athletic bigs with long arms and high motors. The difference is that Adebayo learned how to shoot and has made himself an All-NBA talent in the process.

Whether Stewart will ever develop a jumper is yet to be seen but he has a decent stroke (better than Adebayo’s was when he entered the NBA) and shot 77 percent from the line in college, so it’s not unreasonable to think he’ll improve.

Even if he doesn’t, Stewart is a guy who can defend all over the floor, switch on the pick-and-roll and get after on the boards.

Even though he is “old school” in some ways, in others he is the model of a modern big man.