With the talk of the NBA revolving around the top of the Eastern Conference, it’s easy to forget about some of the young and up-and-coming teams like the Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons have been quietly adding to their surplus of young talent and look like a team that could be dangerous in a couple of years.
Managing the next generation of Detroit basketball is Monty Williams whom the franchise pursued aggressively in the offseason to become their new head coach.
Williams has ample experience leading the sidelines and now gets to mold the Pistons into his vision of an ideal basketball team.
Detroit has franchise building blocks in Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, and Ausar Thompson but they’ve also got complementary role players to flank them.
Since joining the team, Williams has been particularly impressed with Isaiah Stewart via Omari Sankofa II of Detroit Free Press.
“From the time I got the job until now, he’s been the engine, the voice,” Williams said.
Isaiah Stewart has a fan in new Pistons coach Monty Williams. “He’s been the engine, the voice.” https://t.co/I8M1bNhNo9
— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) October 4, 2023
Detroit’s got several big men in Jalen Duren, Marvin Bagley, and James Wiseman but Stewart’s the most experienced of the group and has incrementally improved each season since entering the league.
More of a power forward than center, Stewart’s got a nose for rebounding the basketball and has even toyed around with a 3-point shot that he unveiled last season.
Duren, Bagley, and Wiseman might represent more upside but Stewart’s the kind of player that would earn minutes on most teams because of his energy and hustle on both ends of the floor.
Williams values the types of players that are versatile and willing to buy into their role, so Stewart should see his fair share of minutes this season.
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