As the offseason for the entire NBA has officially begun, the LA Clippers can say they will be entering without a starting center. While the role might’ve been up for grabs for Yanic Konan Niederhauser, he’s still recovering from a right-foot injury, and with Brook Lopez likely gone, there’s no one on the current roster fit for the job that must be filled by opening night.
That’s okay, though, as, per Sam Amick of ‘The Athletic,’ the Detroit Pistons have made Isaiah Stewart available for trade.
Latest trade intel from @sam_amick:
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) June 19, 2026
- Celtics have interest in Trey Murphy III if they can’t land Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Rival executives believe the Bucks are underwhelmed by offers for Giannis
- Grizzlies are hopeful that Ja Morant will “be some team’s Plan B” after Giannis…
Though Stewart may have only started in 194 of his 365 games played since entering the league, he has a tough mentality, brings the type of energy the Clippers desperately need, and is extremely solid on both sides of the ball.
He’s also on a team-friendly deal of $15 million that only has two seasons left with a team option.
Stewart is a strong starting center candidate who could be obtained for cheap
On the market, there are a ton of big men for the LA Clippers to take a serious look at. Robert Williams has been an option many fans want the front office to at least explore, and regarding a trade, Myles Turner is a solid choice. But neither compares to Isaiah Stewart.
Why? We can start with his production. Stewart averaged 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks for the Detroit Pistons, shooting 55.0% from the field, in just 22.7 minutes.
That’s not all. Stewart has been openly praised by head coach J.B. Bickerstaff as a one-of-one defensive player, and it shows in the film.
J.B. Bickerstaff when asked about Isaiah Stewart tonight:
— SleeperPistons (@SleeperPistons) December 6, 2025
“He’s the best defensive center in the league, it’s not even close.”
Huge praise for Stew 👏🗣️#Detroitbasketball pic.twitter.com/lEi5AYAwqt
Stewart hustles out of his mind by maximizing a motor that doesn’t ever seem to stop. On top of that, he’s a great example of heart over height; despite being undersized at 6 '8”, the former first-round pick is still a top-notch rim protector.
Had Bickerstaff played him more minutes, or if he wasn’t behind an All-Star in Jalen Duren, Stewart wouldn’t be anywhere near as underrated as he is.
Now comes the conversation of what the Clippers might have to give up to secure him, and in a potential package, Lawrence Frank may be able to get away with proposing Bogdan Bogdanovic and a combination of second-round picks.
This is a fair deal. Detroit lands a veteran scorer and draft capital by giving up a big man the Clippers can only dream of.
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