Which players should the Detroit Pistons extend this summer?

Which players should the Detroit Pistons extend this summer?

Isaiah Stewart

Qualifying offer: $7.3 million

If you’ve been paying attention to the NBA Playoffs, then you’ve seen just how valuable a tough, versatile big man can be to a team.

Unlike Troy Weaver’s vision from 1992, the playoffs have not featured many traditional centers and almost all of the teams are using lineups that rely on versatile bigs who can defend multiple spots and do more than stand in the lane.

Guys like Kevon Looney and PJ Tucker aren’t going to score a ton of points, but ask their teammates about how important they are to winning basketball games. Stephen Curry and James Harden get all of the press, but these guys are doing all of the dirty work that helps win games.

Beef Stew could be the same type of player for the Detroit Pistons, as he is already a very good defender who can handle multiple spots, stay in the post or switch on the perimeter. His shooting is improving and if he starts hitting 3-point shots, he could be the exact type of stretch-5 that teams love to have in the playoffs.

Stewarts’s QO is just over $7 million but he’ll probably get a little more than that. A 4 year/$40 million contract is probably what we are looking at, and that could prove to be a big bargain, as guys like Stewart are necessary on good teams.

The Pistons should extend Stewart this summer, get him at a discount and watch him become their Looney/Tucker type player as the team evolves.