Out of all the moves the Grizzlies made this whole offseason, the Beef Stew trade could end up being a transformational one. Stewart is a tremendous boost to the frontcourt depth behind Zach Edey and should significantly transform the culture. Luckily for Grizzlies fans, they have already gotten a glimpse of what Beef Stew brings to Memphis, even if it was against the Grizzlies.
Recently, Isaiah Stewart's performance against the Grizzlies last season in November has been resurfacing, and it's easy to see why. It was a disappointing loss for the Grizzlies at the time, but little did we know that Beef Stew would end up in Memphis less than a year later.
Now is the perfect time to revisit Beef Stew's performance against the Grizzlies and how he can help the team.
Isaiah Stewart 26 PTS, 14 REB, 4 AST, 4 BLK pic.twitter.com/XmVQQiKT7v
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) November 4, 2025
Isaiah Stewart showed against the Grizzlies the skill set he will bring
The Grizzlies lost at home 114-106 to the Pistons on November 3, 2025, in what was an overall lackluster performance. They made a strong comeback effort late, but Cade Cunningham simply proved to be too much late.
While Cade Cunningham scored 33 points and took over in the 4th quarter, Isaiah Stewart proved to be instrumental in the Pistons' victory as well. It was a strong stat line for Beef Stew as he scored 26 points while also adding 14 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks and being a +9.
However, beyond stats, there was so much to like about what Beef Stew can now give the Grizzlies. Rightfully so, Grizzlies fans are excited about the boost in rim protection that Isaiah Stewart will bring, but there is more to be excited about.
The Grizzlies have clearly made it a goal to be a high-level rebounding team. Even though Zach Edey and Cam Boozer will likely be the biggest sources of rebounding on the team, Stewart is also willing to crash the offensive glass. Stewart's physicality as a rebounder and a post scorer should allow him to be another steady bench presence on the offensive end.
Plus, Isaiah Stewart had previously proven to be a capable three-point shooter in Detroit. While 34.3% for his career isn't super high, it still gives defenses another thing to worry about. The Grizzlies will have other sources of shot creation, but Stewart can be a solid connective piece.
But probably the main selling point for making the trade is what he will bring on the defensive end. Stewart brings rim protection, of course, but he can guard multiple positions and moves well in space. The Grizzlies badly needed defense with Zach Edey off the floor and to surround Cam Boozer with another rim protector, and they now have that in Isaiah Stewart.
Grizzlies fans have every reason to be excited about what Beef Stew can do in Memphis, especially having witnessed it firsthand last season.
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