Isaiah Stewart said he felt unappreciated during his time with the Detroit Pistons, despite believing he had invested heavily in changing the franchise’s culture. Stewart discussed his experience in an interview with Andscape after joining the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason.
“You will work so hard and you have a goal, you are putting your all into something, and you’re not able to get a certain opportunity or reap that kind of reward,” Stewart said. “You don’t know why, and it’ll make you question yourself, stress yourself out because of the passion and love you have for the game.”
Stewart spent his first six NBA seasons with Detroit after the Pistons selected him 16th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. He appeared in 365 games for the franchise, including 194 starts, while averaging 8.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 blocks in 24.3 minutes.
His role changed significantly over those six seasons. Stewart moved from center to power forward in 2023-24, when he averaged a career-high 30.9 minutes and shot 38.3% from three-point range on 3.8 attempts per game.
He returned primarily to center the following season and became a reserve in 2024-25, starting only four of 72 games. Stewart remained an efficient interior scorer, shooting 55.9% from the field, while averaging 6.0 points and 5.5 rebounds.
The 2025-26 season brought a larger offensive role. Stewart averaged 10.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in 22.7 minutes across 58 games, shooting 55.0% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range. He also averaged 1.6 blocks and finished seventh in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
Detroit finished the 2025-26 regular season with the NBA’s best Eastern Conference record at 60-22, but its playoff run ended in the conference semifinals. The Pistons defeated Orlando 4-3 in the first round before Cleveland eliminated them 4-3, including a 125-94 loss in Game 7.
Stewart was traded to Memphis on July 8 as the Grizzlies began a major roster reset following the departures of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane. Memphis finished 25-57 last season and is now building around young players including Zach Edey and third overall pick Cameron Boozer.
The move gives Stewart a different opportunity after six seasons in Detroit. He said the decision was ultimately about finding an organization where he felt valued.
“I’d rather be where I’m wanted than headed back into a situation where it’s not the best,” Stewart said.
Stewart also framed the uncertainty he experienced in Detroit through his faith, saying, “We felt all we could do is just pray. Let the Lord figure it out, because He always works things out for us.”
