​When the Detroit Pistons traded Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this offseason, many fans were surprised to see one of the franchise’s longest-tenured players moved for future draft assets.Now, a new report from Hunter Patterson of The Athletic has provided greater insight into why Detroit made the difficult decision.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhile Stewart’s reduced role and emotional moments during the playoffs played a part, Patterson reports the biggest factor was far simpler: money.Detroit Pistons injury update Court date set for Detroit Pistons F Isaiah Stewart Isaiah Stewart trade Why Pistons traded Isaiah StewartAccording to The Athletic, the Pistons’ decision to trade Stewart was primarily motivated by salary cap management.Stewart was set to earn $15 million during the 2026-27 season. By moving his contract and replacing him with Paul Reed, who is scheduled to make $5.6 million, Detroit created considerably more financial flexibility.The timing is especially significant with the Pistons working toward a new contract for restricted free agent Jalen Duren.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDepending on the structure of Duren’s eventual extension, Detroit could have been paying between $50 million and $60 million annually to its center position alone. Add in Cade Cunningham’s $50.1 million salary for next season, and the Pistons risked tying up an enormous percentage of their payroll in just two positions.From a roster-building standpoint, Detroit’s front office determined that wasn’t a sustainable path.The financial aspect may have been the biggest reason behind the move, but it wasn’t the only one.Stewart saw his role diminish throughout the postseason, averaging just 11.8 minutes per game, the fewest workload of any stretch during his NBA career.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAs his playing time declined, frustration occasionally boiled over.According to Patterson, Stewart had a verbal exchange with head coach J.B. Bickerstaff near halftime of Game 3 during Detroit’s first-round playoff series before the two quickly reconciled.An even more heated incident reportedly occurred during Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.After being substituted out, Stewart was reluctant to acknowledge Bickerstaff. Assistant coach Luke Walton attempted to intervene before Stewart brushed him off as well. The situation escalated when assistant coach Jarrett Jack exchanged words with Stewart, eventually requiring players to step in before the confrontation intensified.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDespite those emotional moments, Patterson reports there was no bad blood between Stewart and the organization.League sources indicated the Pistons still valued Stewart and appreciated everything he contributed during his six seasons in Detroit.Rather than simply moving on, Detroit reportedly wanted to put Stewart in a situation where he would have a better opportunity to earn consistent minutes.