The Pistons have gotten criticism for not adding more perimeter scoring and talent during either the offseason or trade deadline. A recent surprising trade proposal from Bleacher Report aims to right this wrong by exchanging Isaiah Stewart for the Thunder's Alex Caruso but the Pistons are unlikely to ever pull the trigger on such a deal. To be fair to B/R, the trade is listed as a perfect one from the Thunder's perspective, which may be true.
But the trade would hurt the Pistons by removing the heart and soul of their team. The Pistons have thrived with physicality and two-way paint dominance this season, with Stewart as a huge defensive catalyst. Trading him away will make Detroit overly reliant on Jalen Duren and backups to hold down the interior.
This trade doesn't actually make the Pistons better
Swapping Stewart for Caruso also ignores another core tenet of the Pistons' team-building philosophy: availability. Detroit has sought out consistently healthy players, especially among veterans, in recent seasons. But Caruso violates this principle with his recent health status. He played in just 54 games last season, and has appeared 46 times so far this season.
In his age 31 season, Caruso isn't able to remain healthy over a long regular season with his physical play style. Not only does he have to miss plenty of games, but the Thunder also limit his minutes frequently to keep him rested for the playoffs. The Pistons don't use the same approach and instead depend on maximum effort from all their players.
The logic behind acquiring Caruso in this theoretical trade would be trading out center depth for added guard depth and a potential additional shooter. But Caruso isn't necessarily an offensive upgrade over Stewart if his recent play is any indication. Caruso is shooting just 43% from the field and 30% from three (lower than Stewart himself) this season.
Although Caruso is perceived as a better playmaker that can initiate a team's offense when necessary, the actual production doesn't back it up. He averages just 2 assists per game this season versus 0.9 turnovers per game. And most of his playmaking work comes off closeout opportunities created by his teammates.
Only the Thunder benefit in this scenario
It can't be denied that the trade is a perfect one for the Thunder. They will likely part ways with starting center Isaiah Hartenstein this summer, and this would allow them to replace him with another stellar Isaiah. If Stew joined the team, they could run him alongside Chet Holmgren or have him hold down the paint on his own at times.
But taking that same option away from the Pistons would send the team spiraling. Losing Isaiah Stewart can hurt the Pistons and worsen the whole team.