Veteran center Isaiah Stewart thought he was heading to the Washington Wizards or the Los Angeles Lakers when the Detroit Pistons traded him to the Memphis Grizzlies over the summer. Stewart helped the Grizzlies to a 5-0 start this season. As the team’s new defensive enforcer, he’s adapted well after leaving the only NBA team he’s ever played for.
Upon entering his seventh season, Stewart revealed how he first learned he was traded to the Grizzlies, per Andscape’s Marc Spears.
“I got a call from my agent, and he’s thinking it’s maybe the Wizards or the Lakers, and called me back a couple minutes later and said Trajan called, and he got a deal from Memphis that he can’t turn down,” Stewart said.
Grizzlies' Isaiah Stewart reflected on his NBA career, as his reputation precedes him as an aggressive center who's ready to fight at any notice. However, that's just how he is as a competitor. Off the court, he's much more tamed, as he revealed in his interview with Spears.
Article Continues Below“A lot of people judge me off of my perception as a basketball player, and an enforcer,” Stewart said. “To me, I think of it as I'm going to war. But I'm so competitive — that's just who I am.”
While joining the Grizzlies has been an ideal fresh start for the veteran, it's not where he initially thought he was heading during the offseason. However, he's happy it's where he ended up. The Grizzlies are now 6-2 after their perfect start. Stewart is averaging 11.9 points on 66.7% shooting, including 57.1% from beyond the 3-point arc, and 3.4 rebounds per game.