The Detroit Pistons are the best team in the Eastern Conference, which is getting their players more attention for individual awards, including defensive ace Isaiah Stewart.
Stewart was mentioned as a possible 6th Man of the Year candidate by NBA writer Michael Pina on a recent episode of the Zach Lowe Show, a surprising nod given the normal conversations about Stewart, which usually revolve around his defense.
It’s a case I made a few weeks ago and stand by it, as there are few, if any players in the league who make the kind of impact off the bench that Stewart does. I also added some context, which is that players in his mold don’t normally take home the 6th Man award, as it usually goes to bench scorers.
Pina also added that Stewart is a key part of the best team in the East, one who personifies what the Pistons are all about. He’s also leading the league in rim protection by a mile, allowing opponents to shoot just 43 percent at the rim.
But it will still be challenging for Stewart to win the 6th Man of the Year award, despite a worthy resume.
Isaiah Stewart’s reputation and the league minimums for the award could derail him
If you asked most casual fans about Isaiah Stewart, they would inevitably bring up something to do with fighting or physical play. That often extends to the media, which talks about Stewart ”knocking guys down in the paint” as Pina did on Lowe’s podcast.
This probably doesn’t help his case, as Stewart still has the negative perception of being a ”dirty” player and not one that affects games in myriad ways. Pistons fans and those who pay attention know differently, but Stewart’s reputation likely won’t do him any favors in this category.
Stewart will also need to reach the minimum thresholds to even be eligible for the award, which means playing 20 minutes in at least 65 games, a mark he should reach if he doesn’t get hurt or tossed out of too many games.
That’s why it would be nice to see Stew stop picking up dumb technicals like the one he got against Sacramento in the latter stages of a blowout. I thought it was a weak tech to say the least, as all he did was point at former teammate Dennis Schroder, but it still counts towards his total.
Stewart is currently 2nd in the league in technicals with seven on the season, so almost halfway to a one-game suspension.
Stewart may not have the kind of profile to win the 6th Man of the Year award, but he’s getting more positive attention for his defense, so if he makes it to the 65 game mark, he should get serious consideration for the All-Defensive team and even Defensive Player of the Year.