The Los Angeles Lakers want a center upgrade to make Luka Doncic happy, and Isaiah Stewart may be available after he was passed in the rotation by Paul Reed in a must-win Game 6. Beef Stew played just four minutes, and it was Reed who got run down the stretch. The 24-year-old may not be the ideal fit in LA, but Stewart would be a massive upgrade over Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes.
The 6’8 big man averaged 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.6 blocks in 22.7 minutes per game. He finished seventh in Sixth Man of the Year voting and is a career 34.3 percent 3-point shooter. Lakers fans likely know him best for his scuffle with LeBron James, but Stewart has transformed into an elite defender who makes his team better.
The Lakers will be searching for a new starting center this summer. Many wanted Jalen Duren, but he has struggled in the postseason. LA wants to win a championship with Luka, and can't pay Duren near the max unless he is a star. The Pistons have been 3.2 points per 100 possessions better with Stewart on the floor in the playoffs, despite him getting benched.
Lakers may be able to steal Isaiah Stewart after playoff benching
Paul Reed took the minutes. He was outstanding in Game 5 and followed it up with 17 points, six rebounds, and one block in 16 minutes in a win-or-go-home Game 6 in Cleveland. JB Bickerstaff and the Pistons had to ride the hot hand. It was Reed and Duren on Friday night, which relegated Beef Stew to the bench.
In the playoffs, the Pistons have a 96.8 defensive rating with Stewart on the floor in his 155 minutes. Fans know Detroit has an elite defense, but the Lakers desperately need a defensive anchor that protects the rim and rebounds. Stewart checks those boxes.
He struggles as a roll man, but this could be a give-and-take. Stewart only produced 1.04 points per possession in these situations, which is below the league average. He isn’t an elite inside finisher and is a below-average 3-point shooter. Could a larger role with Luka running the show change that? Doncic makes any center better, but Stewart would have to buy into that role.
Stewart is set to make $15 million next season and has a $15 million team option in 2027-28. The Lakers would love to buy low, especially if they can make Beef Stew part of a center tandem. Having his defense and energy could give JJ Redick another option in a close playoff series.
Isaiah Stewart played just four minutes in Game 6, and the Los Angeles Lakers should be calling up the Detroit Pistons to see if they are ready to move on from the 24-year-old big man. Ayton isn’t the answer for LA. They need a better option and aren’t finding one in free agency. Buying low may be their only choice. It appears that the door is cracked open after the Pistons' Game 6 win. If Stewart is on the block, Rob Pelinka should be making the call.
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