How do the Denver Nuggets make this move happen? The offseason rumor mill is in full swing, and the latest update puts the perfect defensive paint defender the Nuggets may find available this summer directly into their wheelhouse, and they've got a couple of avenues to bring Isaiah Stewart to Denver that need to be explored as long as he doesn't get traded to another team first.
The overnight news drop from the latest The Stein Line (subscription required) comes from Jake Fischer, and he says the Detroit Pistons have Stewart on the trading block.
"League sources say that the Pistons' Isaiah Stewart is not merely available but outright bracing for a trade that sends him elsewhere this summer as part of any move that the Pistons make to bolster their shooting and playmaking depth," Fischer said.
The Nuggets have two options that can fit that bill for the Pistons, and each of the moves would save the Nuggets on cap space as well. Cameron Johnson and Christian Braun would both be options for the Pistons, and they're both on the trade block for the Nuggets this offseason.
The Nuggets should jump at the chance to get Stewart
One of the biggest issues the Nuggets had all season, and especially against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs, was rim protection. The interior defense was terrible, but Stewart would have been the solution the Nuggets were missing as Ayo Dosunmu and Terrence Shannon Jr. lit them up driving to the basket.
Stewart's an elite rim protector, and he had a career-high 1.6 blocks per game in 2025-26, and his great defense helped to a seventh-place finish in the Sixth Man of the Year Award voting. Stewart played in just 58 games, and only started 13, but he played 22.7 minutes for the Pistons, and he would be more than just the backup to Nikola Jokic in the Nuggets' rotation.
Stewart would be able to spell both Jokic and Aaron Gordon, and his defensive presence would certainly change the look for the Nuggets' 21st-ranked defense. Offensively, Stewart isn't Johnson or Braun, obviously, but he finishes well around the rim, and he shot 64.2% from two and a decent 33.3% from three-point range on 2.1 attempts per game, scoring 10.0 points per contest.
Stewart would save the Nuggets money, too
The icing on the cake is the salary savings for the Nuggets. Stewarts is under contract for $15 million in 2026-27, and he has a team option for the same value in 2027-28. Johnson's set to make $23 million, and Braun's on the book for $21.5 million. Cam probably makes more sense for the Pistons on his expiring contract unless the Pistons like Braun for their younger core.
The Nuggets need to explore this option. They had so many issues on defense last season that they need some sort of change, and they couldn't do much better for the value, especially in the paint, than they could find in Stewart.
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