The Isaiah Stewart trade is finally official. Grizzlies fans are understandably thrilled, as Stewart should be a perfect culture fit and reliable Zach Edey insurance. But if there is anyone who really benefits, it's Tuomas Iisalo. It was a chaotic first season for Tuomas Iisalo in Memphis, given the fact the team was so heavily injured before eventually committing to tanking.
There are still extremely valid concerns about Iisalo's substitution patterns and how he will best maximize his most talented players. However, it is difficult to be too critical of Iisalo's first season given how little he had a fully healthy frontcourt available to him. But now, Isaiah Stewart is simply the dream trade target that will help Tuomas Iisalo in the minutes Zach Edey is off the floor.
The Grizzlies badly needed another rim protector
It was simply a big blow for Tuomas Iisalo that Zach Edey went down again after a strong 11 games. The team went 7-4 with Edey and made a significant improvement on both ends of the floor, especially on defense. With how much Iisalo's system depends on having a strong frontcourt, it is understandable that the team got much worse without Zach Edey.
To make matters worse, Jock Landale did not offer the rim protection needed even though he had his best offensive season. The Grizzlies also had a revolving door of centers before eventually opting against signing more centers after the trade deadline to best maximize draft positioning. The Grizzlies have more to do as they rebuild, but half the battle was simply having frontcourt depth.
Isaiah Stewart can provide some scoring production and three-point shooting, but his rim protection will be an absolute game changer for Tuomas Iisalo. Even in a limited sample size, Christian Koloko gave the Grizzlies a reliable defensive boost despite not heavily being involved offensively. The Grizzlies let him walk after two 10-day contracts, and the paint defense suffered as a result.
If Edey was healthy and the Grizzlies had another quality defensive backup center, the Grizzlies would have potentially been in the mix for a playoff spot. With how important Stewart was as an important defensive piece for the Pistons, it's hard to not envision him having a similar impact in Memphis.
The Grizzlies correctly identified this offseason that the minutes with Zach Edey off the floor were almost always disastrous. Cam Boozer could be a franchise-altering pick after going third overall this summer. But arguably the most important acquisition outside of Boozer is Isaiah Stewart.
Rim protection, toughness, and three-point shooting are all things that will greatly benefit Tuomas Iisalo. After a challenging first season in Memphis, Iisalo has an intriguing roster to develop and arguably the perfect veteran player to spark the next era in Isaiah Stewart.
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