Fresh off of a 60-win season and the team's first playoff series win in nearly 20 years, the Detroit Pistons traded elite interior defender and fan favorite Isaiah Stewart for draft compensation. It was a rather shocking move with an apparent intention to prioritize Paul Reed in the backup center role.
Reed showed exactly why the Pistons believe in him on Sunday, Oct. 25 when he stepped into the starting lineup for an injured Jalen Duren and continued to be a true impact player.
Reed played 23 pivotal minutes in a 106-93 Pistons win over the previously undefeated Philadelphia 76ers. During that time, he tallied eight points, eight rebounds, four offensive boards, two assists, and three blocks. Beyond the numbers, he offered stability at a time when uncertainty is reigning.
It was yet another example of the Pistons' faith in Reed paying off by virtue of the quality he provides when his number is called.
The argument, of course, isn't that Stewart couldn't do what Reed has thus far done and will need to continue to do. Instead, it's that Detroit needed to clear space for Reed's continued growth and there were only so many minutes to give him with Stewart on the roster.
The early returns have thus been a welcome form of vindication for parting with a fan favorite and interior anchor in favor of Reed's emergence as a high-volume player.
Pistons needed to trade Isaiah Stewart to unleash Paul Reed
Stewart is one of the absolute best rim protectors in the NBA, as well as a high-impact overall player. As such, there's a case to be made that trading him was still a mistake, particularly if Duren's sprained ankle has lingering effects once he returns.
The Pistons needed to improve on the offensive end of the floor, however, and Reed offers high-level defensive value and a more robust offensive arsenal than Stewart.
That was a perhaps necessary sacrifice to make when one considers how much trouble Detroit had with shot creation in 2025-26. Reed may not single-handedly resolve the issue, but he's a more complete offensive player who can offer more alongside and in support of Cade Cunningham and Duren.
Compounded by Detroit's aggressive pursuit of new shooters who can optimize spacing, the investment in offensive improvement without compromising its defensive integrity ultimately sent Stewart elsewhere.
Keep in mind: Reed is one of the better defenders in the NBA himself. In addition to averaging 2.4 blocks and 2.3 steals per 36 minutes in 2025-26, he ranked in the 95th percentile in rim protection, the 97th percentile in rim disruption, and the 94th percentile in overall screener defense, per Basketball Index.
Though the sample size is small, Reed is picking up where he left off early in 2026-27 and proving that the Pistons were right to back him over Stewart.
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