In an oft-criticized move, the Pistons traded away franchise staple Isaiah Stewart this offseason amidst concerns about his attitude and injury history. Unfortunately, the injury concerns have already reared their ugly heads early in Stewart’s Grizzlies tenure, as he injured his ankle just minutes into his first preseason game with Memphis.
Stewart’s injuries are all too familiar for Detroit
Losing Stewart will force the Pistons’ remaining centers to play more minutes, but that was already happening over the last two seasons whenever Stewart was injured. During that time, he missed his fair share of games due to either injury or suspension.
Those injuries also tended to pop up most aggressively in the playoffs, when the Pistons needed Stewart most. In 2025, he only managed one playoff game against the Knicks before a knee injury sidelined him. And in 2026, he was likely limited by another leg injury after Game 4 of the Orlando series.
The Pistons have prioritized availability in many of their recent transactions. Trading Stewart might have been another move in that direction, as he was shipped out even on a contract with good value. In the end, Detroit had too many questions about how his playstyle could adapt to a long playoff run without being ravaged by injuries.
Injuries will hold back Stewart unless he overcomes them
As great and energetic as Stewart has been in his minutes, he might play too recklessly for his body to hold up. He’s known for not only his physicality, but also relentless pursuit of any opposing shots near the rim. Plenty of those contests turn into unbelievable blocks, but they also open him up to more injury risk if he lands wrong.
Unfortunately, we don’t know if Stewart can succeed without that motor. He doesn’t quite have the offensive skillset to contribute much on that end without banging down low. To be fair, Stewart should have a chance to shoot more threes in Memphis and he might be able to play a less physical style as a result.
But Stewart’s defense is arguably even more reliant on his motor and fearless style. Since he’s so undersized at center (listed at just 6’8”), Stewart can’t have the same rim protection effect without jumping at every shot attempt. His height also forces him to work harder for rebounds and open him up to more contact on box outs.
There’s a chance that Stewart can put recent injury woes behind him with a fresh start in Memphis. His ankle tweak in the preseason opener could just be a freak incident that doesn't pop back up. For the sake of a former beloved Piston, we certainly hope that’s the case. Maybe some combination of conditioning and small playstyle tweaks can help him put the injuries behind.
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