Detroit Pistons: Why Isaiah Stewart’s contract was a good bet

By extending Isaiah Stewart for $15 million per year for four years, with the fourth year non-guaranteed and performance incentives that could bring the total to $16 million per year, the Detroit Pistons made their first decision about the future pieces they want filling out their roster.

I like this deal. I think Stewart will easily outperform this contract, and Troy Weaver will once again look like a savvy exec. Stewart’s game has improved every year. His hustle is exceptional, and I hope he becomes the heart and soul of this team for years to come.

Weaver bet on Beef Stew. It’s a gamble, no question, but it isn’t high stakes. Many things might make this a bad contract: injuries, rule changes, or more dynamic personnel on a conference rival the Pistons can’t get past in the playoffs.

On the other hand, based on what the front office and coaching staff see in Isaiah Stewart and examining the numbers relative to an NBA salary sheet, this was a decent bet.

Detroit Pistons: Isaiah Stewart’s extension was a good bet

Stewart’s is the first guaranteed deal to extend beyond Cade Cunningham’s rookie contract, and the summer Cunningham becomes a restricted free agent, the Pistons would have had only a little more than $28 million on the books. Stewart’s deal brings that number to over $43 million.

Going into the 2025 offseason, the Pistons could have anywhere between $108 million and $116 million to spend, which doesn’t include a cap hold or extension for Cunningham or a cap hold for that year’s draft picks.

Between now and then, no doubt, the Pistons will begin to put pieces around their core, cutting into much of that space. They felt Stewart was one such piece, even if fans have mixed feelings about the extension.

Managing their salary sheet might be the most important job for the front office over the next two years. The Pistons won’t be in a position to compete for a championship yet, but they’ll need to pay their talent beginning with Cunningham. To afford to do so, they need more contracts like Beef Stew’s.