Isaiah Stewart vs. LeBron James: Where do the Pistons go from here?

Pistons fans and NBA fans alike watched in bewilderment on the night of Sunday, November 21st when LeBron took a shot at Detroit Pistons young center Isaiah Stewart as they were both going for a rebound. Even more shocking was Stew’s response, and the ensuing chaos.

As expected, Stew didn’t take kindly to the blow. I won’t go into full details, as we have already documented the fiasco in depth, but the whole situation was pretty messy.

Many Pistons fans could not help but draw connections from this bloody scuffle to the most infamous brawl in NBA history, The Malice at the Palace (especially those who witnessed the original event live). Add on the fact that Rip Hamilton and Ben Wallace were sitting courtside, and the eerie similarities further intensify.

Stewart has already garnered a lot of attention in his young career for his ultra-competitive mindset and fiery style of play. While maybe a bit unfair, these elements of his game have led to lofty comparisons of Ben Wallace. Many fans see Stew in the same mold as the team’s “enforcer”. Following this situation, there should be little doubt as to whether he can properly fulfill that role.

Reggie Miller said it best:

With that being said, this probably can’t happen again. Stewart was slapped with a two game suspension (in addition to both players being ejected), while LeBron was given just one game. All things considered, Stew was quite fortunate he wasn’t sidelined for longer. I get the feeling that if there is a next time, he’ll face a much steeper punishment.

His importance to the team was already on display, as the defense faltered late in his absence, ultimately causing the Pistons to drop a game that they were firmly in control of to start the 4th quarter. This scuffle will only further pronounce the proverbial target on his back.

While it seems unfair that these high profile veterans seemingly continue to go after him (he’s had dustups with Blake Griffin and Giannis as well), he’s got to learn to harness that emotion and let it fuel his in-game performance.

How will the Pistons respond?

The Pistons response to this situation will be incredibly telling for such a young, developing team. They can take this emotionally driven momentum right into the next two games without Isaiah and impose their will on their coming opponents, or they can replicate their response from Sunday night and play uninspired without their enforcer.

Stew’s absence leaves a center-sized hole in the roster with Kelly Olynyk also sidelined for the foreseeable future. Barring a move to add another big onto the roster, Trey Lyles and Luka Garza suddenly find themselves in critical roles for the next few contests.

These lineup changes will force the Pistons to play an even smaller brand of basketball than they were before with the 6-foot-8 Isaiah Stewart manning the middle.  A start for Luka won’t necessarily render the lineup smaller, but it seems unlikely he’ll play nearly as much as the rest of the first unit.

Regardless of how Casey decides to handle the lineups, the Pistons suddenly find themselves with two open spots in the rotation, as Killian Hayes will also miss the next few contests with a thumb injury. This could spell minutes for the likes of Saben Lee, veteran Rodney McGruder, or maybe even two-way player Jamorko Pickett, on the bench unit.

Bottom Line:

Hopefully the young guys can step up to the plate and show what their value can be for the present and future. This will perhaps be their best opportunity all season to get an extended look in NBA action.

As for Isaiah, his competitive fire is admirable (and speaking as a biased fan, incredibly exciting). However, we all know that if this trend continues, his name could become synonymous with more negative labels. By all accounts, he is a soft-spoken sweetheart off the court, but unaffiliated fans don’t see this side of him.

While I’m sure coach Casey and GM Troy Weaver have had extensive conversations with him about his response to flagrant-worthy displays, he needs to realize for himself just how important he is to this team. This isn’t the first time he’s been picked on, and it won’t be the last. The next step for him will be his ability to channel his raw emotions into his actions when the ball is in play, and not when it’s in the hands of the officials.

The Detroit Pistons have an opportunity to respond in a big way, and show that they aren’t the pushover squad many fans around the league seem to view them as. If they can stand strong and hold their own without the heart and soul of this defense, they will be in good shape when Isaiah returns to the lineup on Friday, November 26th when the Pistons travel to LA to battle with the Clippers.