Isaiah Stewart has a big fan in new Detroit Pistons coach Monty Williams
Isaiah Stewart has long had a big fan in Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver. The fourth-year big man has gained a fan in his new head coach as well.
Monty Williams is impressed by what he has seen from Stewart thus far — not just on the floor, but his leadership and effort off it as well. His attitude and spirit has been an example for teammates.
Williams expects Stewart to remain one of the team's best defenders and continue learning the nuances of playing power forward. But just a day into training camp, Williams has already seen how Stewart’s attitude is a driver of the team.
“From the time I got the job until now, he’s been the engine, the voice,” Williams said after practice Tuesday in Detroit. “He’ll be on vacation and text me, and we’ll just talk about what we’re doing on vacation. I’m typically at home. We have that relationship and I think it’s going to grow over time.
“With respect for the team, I think these guys rely on him. It’s his character, it’s his toughness, but more importantly he works, and guys respect work. In this culture, when you walk into this gym and you’re not working, you stand out. And he leads it. He and Jalen (Duren) have led the charge. Those guys are on the floor every day together getting sweat equity in, and it sends a message to the team.”
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It illustrates why Stewart, 22, was a priority for the Pistons this offseason. He signed a rookie contract extension — a four-year deal worth up to $64 million — in July. He’s the only member of Detroit’s three-man 2020 draft class to sign one. It reflects his growth last season, and the expectations he is expected to fulfill this season.
The 2022-23 season was a breakout year for Stewart as a leader. He filled the locker room void from Cade Cunningham’s absence. His teammates look to him for guidance. Couple that with his versatility on defense, and he appears to be primed for a significant role on a young roster that has struggled to defend.
“It made sense for us,” Weaver said of Stewart’s extension during media day Monday. “You always want to have a player or players on the team who are symbols for what you want to be about, and he’s that on and off the floor. Who he is as a person and what he brings to practice, what he brings as a teammate.”
After spending most of last season at the "four," it appears Stewart will spend time at both power forward and center in 2023-24. And while he’ll continue developing his outside shot and functioning as a floor spacer, Williams has some new wrinkles in mind for him on offense. When smaller defenders get switched onto Stewart, expect some post-ups to leverage his strength.
“He likes physical contact in various ways, and that can be something that can be an advantage for us," Williams said. "He did it in the preseason, I talked to him about posting up more versus switching. If we can take advantage of that, it can be a weapon for us.”
Williams is putting pressure on Stewart and Duren to lead the charge defensively. Both players will spend time at each big position. We’ve seen Stewart stick with smaller offensive players, and Duren also has quick feet. On paper, they have the tools to be a very effective frontcourt on that end.
“I called he and Jalen up today (during practice) because I want everybody to know that those two have a lot of pressure,” Williams said. “They have to play both spots, offensively and defensively, especially the way the league is going. The economy of the league is based on guys being versatile, and those guys can do it."
Williams is also putting defensive pressure on the rest of the roster, acknowledging that many teams across the league have prioritized rim protection because their guards can’t handle their defensive assignments. Defense has been a hot topic for the team thus far — Jaden Ivey recently said he wants to make a leap as a defender, and rookie Ausar Thompson was drafted largely because of his defensive upside.
But even with strong defenders up front, the Pistons will need Stewart and Duren to hold down the paint for the team to make a significant improvement.
“I think we can guard the ball better than we’ve shown, and one of our rules is if you can’t guard two dribbles, you probably can’t play,” Williams said. "That’s just the way it is.
“If you’re a blow-by guy on defense, you’re going to have a tough time playing because we have to play great defense. For me, the best offense is a defensive stop. And the more stops we can get, we can get out and play free.”
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But Stewart understands the defensive charge will likely start with him. Now entering his fourth season, he has begun his transition from young player to veteran. He’s already a capable rim protector, meaning Williams may have to lean on him until the other bigs develop there.
Stewart knows what’s expected from him. He’s embracing his role.
“Williams definitely spoke to me about defense, and just being in charge on that side of the floor,” Stewart said. “And continuing to lead this team, just coming in every day and being who I am. He sees that and he doesn’t want me to change anything about that.”
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.
Listen to "The Pistons Pulse" with new episodes each Tuesday morning, wherever you listen to podcasts. Catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.
For (preseason) openers: Suns
Matchup: Pistons (17-65 in 2022-23) vs. Phoenix (45-37 in 2022-23), exhibition opener.
Tipoff: 3 p.m. Sunday; Little Caesars Arena, Detroit.
TV/radio: NBA TV; no radio.
Regular-season opener: At Miami Heat; 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Isaiah Stewart has a big fan in Detroit Pistons coach Monty Williams
