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DETROIT, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 04: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons dunks the ball against Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter at Little Caesars Arena on November 04, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers may have lost two potential center solutions in one trade.
As the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft unfolded on Wednesday, ESPN insider Shams Charania reported that the Detroit Pistons agreed to trade veteran big man Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies for three future second-round picks.
The deal didn’t just remove another experienced frontcourt player from a market the Lakers have been expected to explore this offseason aggressively.
It also gave Detroit greater financial flexibility to work toward a new deal with All-Star center Jalen Duren, potentially making one of Los Angeles’ most intriguing rumored targets even harder to acquire.
According to Charania, Memphis acquired Stewart in exchange for three future second-round picks.
“Just in: The Detroit Pistons are trading C/F Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies for three future second-round picks,” Charania reported. “Pistons clear Stewart’s salary and pick up assets while Grizzlies acquire a 25-year-old as a rugged frontcourt piece.”
For Detroit, the move creates greater roster and financial flexibility.
For the Lakers, it potentially shrinks an already competitive market for impact centers.
GettyLebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers controls the ball against Isaiah Stewart of the Detroit Pistons in the second half at Crypto.com Arena on December 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. The Pistons sent Stewart to Memphis in a Draft Night trade.
Stewart joins Nic Claxton as another veteran center who has changed teams this offseason after previously surfacing as a potential Lakers target.
Los Angeles entered the summer widely expected to prioritize upgrading its interior defense after agreeing to a four-year, $185 million maximum contract with Austin Reaves and committing to a backcourt built around Reaves and Luka Dončić.
ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks recently projected the Lakers to have roughly $50 million in cap room before officially re-signing Reaves, while Brian Windhorst reported the franchise’s top priority is finding more rim protection and interior defense around Dončić.
Each completed trade narrows that market.
The implications of the trade may extend beyond Stewart himself.
According to salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan, Detroit still does not project to have meaningful cap space following the deal. However, moving Stewart creates additional financial flexibility to negotiate a new contract with 2026 All-Star center Jalen Duren, one of the Pistons’ top offseason priorities.
The trade also creates a $15 million trade exception for Detroit while increasing the franchise’s stockpile to 15 second-round picks over the next seven drafts.
Pistons salary cap situation after trading Isaiah Stewart to the Grizzlies.
They’re still not in a position to have cap space, but they create more room to re-sign Jalen Duren.
They create a $15 million trade exception and now have 15 second-round picks over the next 7 drafts.
For the Lakers, that’s an important wrinkle.
Duren has emerged as one of the young centers linked to Los Angeles as the organization searches for a long-term defensive anchor to pair with Dončić.
If Detroit uses its newfound flexibility to complete a lucrative extension with Duren, another potential avenue for the Lakers could effectively disappear.
In that sense, the Pistons’ trade may have cost Los Angeles two possible frontcourt options in one transaction—Stewart to Memphis and, potentially, Duren to a long-term future in Detroit.
The Lakers are hardly out of alternatives.
Utah Jazz restricted free agent Walker Kessler remains one of the league’s premier young rim protectors, while New York Knicks unrestricted free agent Mitchell Robinson is drawing significant interest after helping New York win its first NBA championship since 1973.
President of basketball operations Rob Pelinka could also continue exploring the trade market as more teams reshape their rosters following the draft.
With significant financial flexibility still available before LeBron James‘ next contract is finalized, Los Angeles remains well-positioned to pursue upgrades.
The Lakers entered the offseason knowing they needed to find Luka Dončić a defensive-minded center.
The challenge is that the market continues to change almost daily.
First, Nic Claxton found a new home.
Now Isaiah Stewart is headed to Memphis.
And perhaps just as importantly, Detroit’s latest move may have made it easier to keep Jalen Duren for years to come.
For a Lakers team intent on building a championship contender around Dončić, the search for the right center may only be getting more difficult.
Alder Almo is a veteran NBA reporter for Heavy.com, covering the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. He brings over 20 years of experience across local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Originally from the Philippines, he is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
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