Isaiah Stewart Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pelicans’ Valanciunas Talks Trade Rumors, Zion, More

August 29th, 2023 at 12:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas had his name pop up in trade rumors multiple times this offseason. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, New Orleans explored the possibility of acquiring a more switchable center, inquiring on players like Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen and Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart. But with training camps just a few weeks away, Valanciunas remains on the roster.

Speaking to Fischer, Valanciunas expressed interest in staying in New Orleans beyond his current deal. And head of basketball operations David Griffin and head coach Willie Green were in Manila on Tuesday to watch the veteran big man play for Lithuania against Montenegro, tweets Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com (Griffin and Green will also visit with Team USA’s Brandon Ingram during their trip, Fischer notes).

But with lucrative new contracts for young frontcourt players like Zion Williamson and Herbert Jones on the team’s books beginning this season, extending Valanciunas at a rate anywhere near his current $15.4MM salary might be a long shot, Fischer writes.

If the 31-year-old doesn’t sign an extension with the Pelicans, he’ll likely remain a trade candidate throughout the 2023/24 season, since he’s on an expiring contract. However, he tells Fischer he’s not bothered by the fact that his future is uncertain.

“You can’t be safe all the time and sitting and know where you’re going to be the next day,” Valanciunas said. “You have to expect everything. There’s no hard feelings. Trades happen. It’s not like an unusual thing.”

Here are a few more highlights from Valanciunas’ conversation with Fischer:

On his attempts to develop a three-point shot:

“I don’t want to be stretching out. I want to be a down-low player. My main game is going to be in the paint, always. Set screens, roll hard. Do damage inside on the low post. But when they’re plugging the paint, when they’re rotating, when they’re leaving you alone, being able to knock down a three-point shot, this is what I’m still working on.”

On how good Williamson can be when he’s healthy:

“He has the skill set and the first step, which I feel bad for people who’s guarding him. It’s unbelievable things. When you’re just watching him play, you feel like, ‘Wow, what the f–k is going on?’ His power, his highlights, talk for himself.”

On his post-retirement plans:

“I want to have a feel of basketball, no matter what. Playing, doing some other jobs. Coaching, front office. No matter what, I want to be connected to basketball. So that’s what my next step is gonna be.”

Pistons Notes: Duren, Stewart, Hayes, Thompson

August 9th, 2023 at 8:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart appear to be the favorites to start at center and power forward for the Pistons heading into training camp, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes in a mailbag column. Langlois sees them as having a clear edge over James Wiseman and Marvin Bagley III. He cites Duren’s impressive showing at Summer League, which he followed up with a strong performance as part of the Select Team that scrimmaged against Team USA’s World Cup squad.

The bigger concern for Wiseman and Bagley, according to Langlois, is whether new head coach Monty Williams is willing to give regular playing time to four big men. They could be battling for one rotation role, not only in camp but throughout the season.

Langlois also raises the possibility that Williams won’t want to start two traditional big men. That could lead to Bojan Bogdanovic getting the starting nod as a stretch four, with Isaiah Livers possibly claiming the other forward spot.

There’s more on the Pistons:

Killian Hayes needs to establish himself as an NBA player as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, but his path to playing time appears to be blocked, Langlois adds. Cade Cunningham‘s return will consume a lot of the backcourt minutes, and Hayes will have to compete with Jaden Ivey, Alec Burks, newcomer Monte Morris and rookie Marcus Sasser as well. Langlois suggests that Hayes might be included in a multi-player trade at some point to help balance salaries.
Overtime Elite trainer Luke Cooper believes Ausar Thompson has the drive to become a star, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Cooper said Thompson’s obsession to excel at every part of the game led to some late-night phone calls during their two years of working together. “I’ll get a text or call saying, ‘I mastered it,’ and I’d have no idea what he was talking about,” Cooper said. “It would be some little move that we worked on earlier that day that bothered him so much because he didn’t feel comfortable with it, so he went to his room and worked on it, in his room, until he felt comfortable with it.”
In a separate story, Edwards examines potential lineup combinations for the upcoming season, looking at which five-man units might work best in different situations.

Central Notes: Stewart, Thompson, Morris, Sasser, Terry, Bucks

July 17th, 2023 at 7:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Isaiah Stewart, Ausar Thompson and Monte Morris could make surprising contributions for the Pistons next season, James Edwards III of The Athletic opines. Edwards believes Stewart will develop into a solid outside shooter. He also sees Summer League standout Thompson becoming a fan favorite with his overall contributions, while Morris could be the team’s best backup point man in over a decade.

We have more from the Central Division:

Marcus Sasser, the Pistons’ other first-round pick, overcame his offensive struggles in previous Summer League games with a 40-point, five-assist, zero-turnover performance on Sunday. Sasser will need to continue making shots to stand out in Detroit’s crowded backcourt, according to Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press, but he also displayed good man-to-man defensive skills and could be a two-way factor.
Bulls second-year guard Dalen Terry admits he had a “tough summer league” but he finished strong, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic points out. He had 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting, including four 3-pointers, and added five rebounds and four assists in his last game. “Obviously, I haven’t had a great summer league. And, in this game, I just had to forget all about it and just keep going,” Terry said during an ESPN interview.
The Bucks are operating over the second tax apron when unlikely incentives for Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen and Khris Middleton are added in, plus A.J. Green‘s contract counts toward the apron as the two-year minimum of $2,019,763 rather the cap sheet hit of $1,901,769. The Athletic’s John Hollinger and Eric Nehm provide a full explanation of the Bucks’ tax apron situation, noting that the only limit placed on Milwaukee this season as a result of being over the second apron is not being able to use the taxpayer mid-level exception.

Fischer’s Latest: Washington, Stewart, Hornets, Herro

July 14th, 2023 at 10:51am CST by Luke Adams

After Miles Bridges put himself on track for unrestricted free agency in 2024 by accepting his qualifying offer as a restricted free agent last week, the Hornets will probably want to avoid putting P.J. Washington on a similar path, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. However, it remains to be seen whether the Hornets and Washington will be able to find common ground on a multiyear deal.

According to Fischer, coming into Summer League, league personnel believed that Washington and the Hornets remained far apart in their discussions on a four-year contract, though there was some optimism they’d come to terms after Summer League.

Marc Stein has reported that Washington is seeking $18MM+ annually, while Fischer previously suggested that the Charlotte forward may be looking for $20MM per year. In his latest article, Fischer says Washington still hasn’t received an offer from the Hornets that matches or exceeds what Isaiah Stewart got on his new extension with Detroit ($15MM in guaranteed money per year; up to $16MM annually with incentives).

Because teams around the NBA are essentially limited to mid-level money at this point, a sign-and-trade would be necessary to get Washington his desired salary from a non-Hornets team. While it’s not clear whether there’s a club out there with serious interest in such a scenario, Fischer says Charlotte would probably prefer a sign-and-trade over Washington accepting his qualifying offer.

Here’s more from Fischer:

Before he signed his extension, Stewart had generated more trade inquiries in 2023 than any player on the Pistons‘ roster besides Cade Cunningham, sources tell Fischer. The fact that the big man signed a rookie scale extension so early in the offseason indicates that he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
With the Hornets undergoing an ownership change, there’s a sense in league circles that president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak and head coach Steve Clifford could be on the hot seat in 2023/24, Fischer writes. Even if the Hornets’ new owners aren’t eager to make an immediate change, Kupchak and Clifford are each entering the final guaranteed year of their respective contracts, Fischer notes, so next offseason might be a logical time to shake things up anyway.
According to Fischer, league personnel are optimistic that if Tyler Herro is included in a Damian Lillard trade with the Heat, the Trail Blazers will be able to flip Herro to a third team for at least a first-round pick.
In case you missed it, we passed along several notes and rumors from Fischer on Wednesday.

Contract Details: Okogie, Phillips, Schröder, Williams, Stewart, Wagner

July 13th, 2023 at 7:51am CST by Luke Adams

Suns wing Josh Okogie received a Non-Bird deal when he re-signed with the team, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). Rather than earning the veteran’s minimum, Okogie will make 20% above the minimum on his new two-year contract, which includes a second-year player option. His salary in 2023/24 is $2,815,937, while his ’24/25 player option is worth $2,956,734.

As Marks notes, the Suns have now signed six free agents to two-year contracts with second-year player options — Okogie joins Keita Bates-Diop, Drew Eubanks, Eric Gordon, Damion Lee, and Yuta Watanabe in that group. The other five players received minimum-salary deals.

The offers, which include some security beyond 2023/24, may have helped the Suns land their preferred targets on the free agent market. However, they’ll also increase the club’s total salary and end-of-season luxury tax bill. As we’ve previously outlined, the NBA covers of portion of veteran’s minimum salaries for players who sign for a single season, but not for players who sign multiyear minimum contracts.

For instance, Gordon would have earned a $3,196,448 salary in 2023/24 regardless of whether he signed for one year or two. But because he received a second year, Phoenix will be responsible for paying that full salary (and the accompanying tax penalty based on that full salary). On a one-year deal, the Suns would’ve paid Gordon a reduced amount ($2,019,706), with the league making up the difference.

Here are a few more contract details from around the NBA:

Julian Phillips‘ first NBA contract is a four-year deal, according to Marks (Twitter link), who says the Bulls second-round pick will earn $1.6MM in year one and the minimum in the following three seasons. The deal, which was completed using the NBA’s new second-round pick exception, will include a fourth-year team option but is guaranteed for the first three years. As Marks observes, Phillips will receive the second-most guaranteed money of any 2023 second-rounders who have signed so far, behind only No. 32 pick Jalen Pickett.
Dennis Schröder‘s two-year deal with the Raptors is worth the full mid-level amount, Hoops Rumors has confirmed: $12,405,000 in year one and $13,025,250 in year two. Grant Williams‘ fully guaranteed four-year contract with the Mavericks is also worth the exact amount of the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($53,341,500 in total), though Dallas acquired him via sign-and-trade and still has its MLE available.
Isaiah Stewart‘s four-year, $60MM extension with the Pistons and Moritz Wagner‘s two-year, $16MM deal with the Magic each have flat annual cap hits – $15MM each year for Stewart and $8MM each year for Wagner – with team options on the final season. As previously reported, Stewart’s deal also includes $1MM per year in incentives, so it could be worth up to $64MM. Meanwhile, as part of his agreement with Orlando, Wagner waived his right to veto a trade during the 2023/24 season, becoming the third player to do so under the new CBA.

Central Notes: Stewart, Karnisovas, Bulls, Bucks

July 12th, 2023 at 5:39pm CST by Rory Maher

Big man Isaiah Stewart has been viewed as the “heart and soul” of the Pistons over his three seasons, which explains part of the reason why they decided to give him a four-year extension, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. The 22-year-old plans to outperform his new deal.

“I told (general manager) Troy (Weaver) that my goal has always been to prove him right,” Stewart told The Athletic via telephone on Tuesday. “I told him my next goal is to outplay this contract and continue to prove him right. Troy is someone who believes in me and my game, what I can become. My goal has always been to prove him right. I want to prove myself right, too. I put in a lot of work.

“It makes me feel very grateful. They’re rewarding me for the work that I’ve done and what I can become. I’m very appreciative to the front office, (owner) Tom Gores, Troy.”

Here’s more from the Central:

In an interview at Summer League with Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press, Stewart said he’s been impressed by first-round picks Ausar Thompson and Marcus Sasser. “Dogs. They’ve definitely got some dog in them. You see it with Marcus on defense. Obviously his ability to score the ball. Ausar, you can tell he’s a very smart player. High IQ. He wants to play defense. He’s not a selfish player at all, he’s always trying to connect the team and connect the dots. I’m a fan of his game and what I’ve seen so far, I’m excited to play with him. You can tell he knows how to play the game the right way.” Stewart also said he’s excited to work with the new coaching staff and has been focused on his shooting this summer, per Sankofa.
The Bulls‘ top basketball executive, Arturas Karnisovas, explained the decision to sign Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig in free agency, as K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago relays. Karnisovas reiterated that the team expects to be without Lonzo Ball for the entire 2023/24 season, providing context for the additions. “Unfortunately, we’re going to miss ‘Zo,” Karnišovas said on ESPN2. “He’s the player that pushes the ball, pushes the tempo, gives you 3-point shooting. So we tried to address this this offseason. And I think we got toughness, some shooting and some guys who play with energy and a motor.” Craig’s deal isn’t official yet, Johnson notes.
The Bucks decided to give A.J. Green a standard contract after he played on a two-way deal as a rookie last season, and added rookie second-rounder Chris Livingston, the final pick of the draft, to the 15-man roster as well. Both players spoke about their new contracts with Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “It just gives me more confidence, knowing that they trust in me and what I was able to do and how I was able to help the team last year,” Green told The Athletic. “That’s all I’m going to try to continue to do, just help the team and play my role and do what I can.”

Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Stewart, Silas, Wiseman

July 11th, 2023 at 8:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Cade Cunningham missed most of last season with a shin injury but it wasn’t a wasted year, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. The top pick of the 2021 draft firmly established himself as a team leader.

“His voice is always in the locker room. His voice is always in our ears,” center Jalen Duren said. “For me, for sure, and (Jaden Ivey) coming in as rookies, he was always giving us advice and walking us through everything. Him not being on the floor, we didn’t lose a step with him in his voice and his appearance. He was always around. That’s just testament to who he is as a person. He’s a guy who just loves to work. He’s a guy who’s a leader at heart. That’s just who he is.”

We have more from the Pistons:

The front office had additional motivation to sign Isaiah Stewart to a four-year extension, James Edwards III of The Athletic opines. Stewart was part of general manager Troy Weaver’s first draft class with the organization. The team’s lottery pick that year, Killian Hayes, is unlikely to stick around long-term since Weaver has drafted guards Cunningham, Ivey, and Marcus Sasser, along with trading for Monte Morris. The other first-rounder in 2020, Saddiq Bey, was dealt at the trade deadline last February. Optically, it was important for the rebuilding franchise to have something to show for its initial draft class, according to Edwards.
After serving as the Rockets’ head coach for three seasons during their rebuild, Stephen Silas believes he’s in the right spot as a top assistant to Monty Williams, he told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “It’s a good situation for me because I can take a lot of the experience that I had with the Rockets and pour it into this situation with these young guys and kind of see stuff before it’s coming after three years,” Silas said. “So it’s kind of good for me, and to work with Monty and the coaching staff and ownership and management, they’re all top-notch. It’s really fun.”
James Wiseman‘s assertiveness in two Summer League games has been one of the positives for the Pistons in Las Vegas, per Mike Curtis of The Detroit News (subscriber link). Wiseman has been effective both in the post and on perimeter jumpers. Wiseman has averaged 16.5 points in the two games while posting double-doubles both times. He’s eligible for an extension this offseason or else will be eligible for restricted free agency after next season.

Pistons Sign Isaiah Stewart To Four-Year Extension

July 11th, 2023 at 3:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

JULY 11: Stewart’s extension is now official, the Pistons announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

JULY 10: The Pistons have reached a four-year, $64MM rookie scale extension agreement with big man Isaiah Stewart, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

The contract averages out to $15MM per year with $4MM in total performance bonuses that could increase the value to the $64MM figure, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets. The fourth year will be a team option, he adds.

Stewart, 22, has played power forward and center during his three seasons with Detroit. He was acquired in a draft-day trade and selected with the No. 16 overall pick in 2020. He was part of the first rookie class drafted by current general manager Troy Weaver.

Stewart was limited to 50 games last season due to a left shoulder impingement. He didn’t play after Feb. 25 but did post a career-high 11.3 points per game before he was sidelined. Stewart also averaged 8.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists while trying to develop his outside game. He took an average of 4.1 three-pointers per contest and made 32.7% of his attempts.

Stewart is noted for his toughness and tenacity. The Pistons reportedly fielded numerous calls regarding Stewart’s availability this offseason — his defensive versatility and improving perimeter game intrigued many teams around the league, but Detroit was intent on keeping him.

With Jalen Duren and James Wiseman likely to share minutes at center, Stewart slots in at power forward on the current Pistons roster. He’ll battle for playing time with Marvin Bagley III and Isaiah Livers unless Weaver makes a trade.

It’s the first rookie scale extension the Pistons have agreed to since Tom Gores became the franchise’s owner in 2011. Andre Drummond signed a second contract following his rookie deal back in 2016 but he was a restricted free agent at the time.

Central Notes: Pistons’ Lottery Pick, Stewart, Pacers, Crowder

June 18th, 2023 at 6:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It’s more likely that the Pistons will trade down in the draft than use the No. 5 overall pick to acquire a veteran player, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic. However, all options remain on the table for general manager Troy Weaver and his staff as the draft approaches.

If the Pistons keep the pick, they’ll be looking at five players that they recently worked out, barring some unforeseen development. Brothers Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson (Overtime Elite), Cam Whitmore (Villanova), Jarace Walker (Houston) and Taylor Hendricks (Central Florida) are the potential targets at that spot, Edwards says.

According to Edwards, Ausar Thompson has fans in the Pistons’ front office, as he’s more of a wing player than his brother, though both provide athleticism and size. Hendricks may seem like a bit of a long shot at that spot but he made a strong impression with the Pistons’ brass, particularly with his shooting, Edwards adds.

We have more Central Division news:

In the same piece, Edwards reports that the Pistons have been fielding calls from numerous teams on big man Isaiah Stewart. As previously reported, one of those teams is the Celtics, who are looking to upgrade their frontcourt. Stewart’s defensive versatility and improving perimeter game intrigues many teams around the league. However, he was part of Weaver’s first draft class and it would be surprising if the Pistons moved on from Stewart, says Edwards, adding that it’s more likely the Pistons will sign the 22-year-old big man to a rookie scale extension. It would be the first time since Andre Drummond that a drafted Pistons player has signed a rookie extension with the franchise.
The Pacers are looking at two more draft prospects on Monday — forwards Toumani Camara (Dayton) and Maxwell Lewis (Pepperdine), Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets. Lewis is ranked No. 31 on ESPN’s Best Available list and he could be a candidate for either of Indiana’s two late first-round selections (Nos. 26 and No. 29) or early second-rounder (No. 32). Camara is ranked No. 52.
The coaching change in Milwaukee might alter the equation, but Jae Crowder‘s future with the Bucks is cloudy at best, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Crowder will be an unrestricted free agent unless he agrees to an extension before free agency begins. Crowder has been searching for a big payday — a big reason why he sought a trade from Phoenix — and he probably won’t get that from Milwaukee.

Atlantic Rumors: Celtics, I. Stewart, C. Johnson, Harden, More

June 16th, 2023 at 12:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics are exploring ways to improve their roster, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who suggests that a sign-and-trade of forward Grant Williams or a trade involving one or more of the team’s guards are among the options in play. Brian Robb of MassLive.com published a similar report, suggesting that a source told him Boston has been one of the most active teams on the trade market.

According to Robb, the Celtics are looking into whether they’ll be able to move a player from their crowded backcourt in order to balance their roster and upgrade at another position. Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Malcolm Brogdon, and Payton Pritchard are all under contract for next season.

While Pritchard is the most logical trade candidate, given that he sought a change of scenery during the 2022/23 season and wasn’t part of the Celtics’ playoff rotation, it might make more sense for Boston to move one of its higher-paid guards, Robb writes. That would allow the Celtics to bring back a bigger salary in a trade or would help create flexibility to re-sign Williams.

Interestingly, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic says (via Twitter) that the Celtics are among the teams to inquire about Isaiah Stewart. However, Edwards doesn’t expect the Pistons to move Stewart, who will be extension-eligible this offseason.

Here are a few more rumors from around the Atlantic, including another one that involves the Pistons:

Following the Pistons‘ hiring of Monty Williams, Nets restricted free agent forward Cameron Johnson – who played for Williams in Phoenix – is rising on Detroit’s list of free agent targets, according to Marc Stein at Substack. But Brooklyn is “quietly expressing confidence” about its ability to retain Johnson, says Stein, which suggests the team either knows what it will take to re-sign him or fully intends to match any offer he receives as a restricted free agent.
If the Nets commit to a lucrative new deal for Johnson, will they have to cut costs elsewhere? Stein notes that forward Dorian Finney-Smith is still viewed as a “prime trade candidate,” while Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer hears from sources that Brooklyn has received calls about both Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports shares a few Sixers-related tidbits in his latest round-up of rumors from around the NBA, writing that the team appears to prefer another short-term deal with free-agent-to-be James Harden and citing sources who say Philadelphia is “actively seeking” opportunities to trade into the second round of next week’s draft. The 76ers don’t currently own a 2023 draft pick.