Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Stewart might be a forward, and that could be a problem

Is Isaiah Stewart the power forward or center of the future for Detroit Pistons?

Remember, Mason Plumlee is still considered the starting center for Detroit. The only reason Stewart has been starting recently is because Plumlee has been ‘resting’ the past couple of weeks (except when they played Joel Embiid of the Sixers, no rest for him there).

Plumlee is being paid well and he did not leave the Denver Nuggets to be a backup center. If he is back, he most likely remains the starter. Plumlee has also played well for the Pistons, so he has not given Detroit a reason to demote him.

And Okafor is still around, as he has another year left on his contract.

And trumping all of this: if Detroit somehow gets the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft, most likely they are selecting USC center Evan Mobley. He would be projected to be the Pistons center for the next 10 years.

With a logjam at center possible, how does the ‘4’ spot look like for Stewart?

Since Blake Griffin was traded, that position has been occupied by Jerami Grant. He is the Pistons leading scorer, and is also being paid well and he has played very well. No reason not to keep him there.

When Grant moved from small to power forward, that opened a spot in the lineup for rookie sensation Saddiq Bey. Setting records for three-pointers, Bey, obviously, is not moving out of the starting lineup next year.

Of course, there is also the 2019 first round pick, Sekou Doumbouya, to consider.

He has played well as of late. Still only 20 years old, at 6-8, 230-pounds, Doumbouya is a natural power forward. Are the Pistons ready to give up on him? Probably not.

Doumbouya has shown enough flashes of why they drafted him, to keep  him around for at least another year.

So where does leave Isaiah Stewart with the Pistons?

At center: Stewart will have to contend with Plumlee, Okafor and, if the ping pong balls align in a certain way, Evan Mobley for playing time.

At power forward: Jerami Grant is solidly the incumbent and Doumbouya is another first-rounder who will be looking to finally have a breakout year.

Yes, Isaiah Stewart is a hustler, solid rebounder and can cause problems posting up. He is also working on his outside game, hoping to become a threat from the three-point line as well.

However, unless general manager Troy Weaver shakes up the roster for the second year in a row, there is, as of now, not a clear path for Stewart to become a permanent starter next year.

But Weaver just might do that, if he sees enough potential in Stewart.