The Detroit Pistons have no choice but to make a move this offseason following their second-round exit against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs.
Making moves is necessary, but in efforts to upgrade their roster, it's going to come at the expense of Trajan Langdon making several hard decisions, one of which could lead them to utilize one of their best trade assets this offseason.
Isaiah Stewart is beloved in the Motor City, and if you ask anyone from the front office down to the fanbase, they'd tell you that the undersized big man embodies what it means to be a Piston.
The former first-round pick plays with grit, takes pride in doing the dirty work, and will have his team's back regardless of the situation.
His production off the bench gives the team much-needed reliability, given their struggles to find viable options in the second unit over the last couple of seasons.
The reality of the situation, though, is that Stewart's future in Detroit is in question, whether fans like it or not, and the possibility he's moved this offseason is higher than it's ever been.
Isaiah Stewart is one of the Pistons most movable assets
It feels safe to say that Detroit will be aggressive on the trade market this offseason, and outside of their first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Stewart may be one of the most attractive assets the Pistons have on their roster, at least available assets.
At 6-foot-8, Stewart is a versatile defender who can guard multiple positions and takes pride in protecting the rim. Between that and his proven ability to stretch the floor, the 25-year-old is a player who offers the exact skillset nearly every team in the league covets.
Add on the fact that his $15 million annual salary is extremely team-friendly, and it comes with a team option at the end of it, he's the exact type of low-risk, high-reward move teams are gearing up to make this offseason.
Moving on from Stewart won't be an easy decision
For Detroit, losing Stewart definitely comes with a cost, considering how big a hole his absence will leave behind both on and off the court, but given the fact that his salary and upside make him an attractive asset in trade conversations, the Pistons will have to come to terms with the fact that moving on may be their most likely path to improvement.
Beef Stew is the Pistons' glue player, and there's no doubt that every team needs one, but sometimes, it takes a sacrifice to get one step closer to the end goal.
All that to say, while Detroit may not want to lose Stewart, he may be their best chance at improvement this offseason without mortgaging some of their core pieces of the future.
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