NBA Trades Heat Up: Stewart Dealt, LaMelo Shopped

Sport

By lines

June 25, 2026

The NBA trade market exploded during the 2026 NBA Draft. Detroit traded Isaiah Stewart to Memphis on June 24. Charlotte then opened the bidding on guard LaMelo Ball.

Stewart Deal Signals a Frantic NBA Offseason

The Detroit Pistons sent Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies on June 24. Detroit received three future second-round picks in the Stewart trade. The deal closed during the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft.

Isaiah Stewart averaged 10 points on 55 percent shooting last season. Stewart added five rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game off the bench. Stewart finished seventh in Sixth Man of the Year voting.

Detroit topped 60 wins last season for the first time in 20 years. Isaiah Stewart anchored that Pistons bench at age 25. The Pistons valued cap space over Stewart’s interior defense.

Memphis now stacks a young frontcourt around Isaiah Stewart. The Grizzlies drafted Cameron Boozer at No. 3 and Karim Lopez at No. 21. Memphis also rosters 7-foot-3 center Zach Edey.

CBS Sports graded the Stewart trade as cap relief for Detroit. The Grizzlies gained a rim protector for their second unit. Reporting also linked the Stewart timing to the Lakers re-signing Austin Reaves.

Detroit cleared salary to chase free agency flexibility. Isaiah Stewart carried two years and 30 million dollars on his contract. The Pistons now prioritize a new deal for restricted free agent Jalen Duren.

The Charlotte Hornets then made LaMelo Ball available on the trade market. LaMelo Ball averaged 20.1 points and 7.1 assists across 72 games. Ball earned his first All-NBA votes last season.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors lead the LaMelo Ball pursuit. The Milwaukee Bucks also registered interest in LaMelo Ball. Reports place a possible Ball trade within 48 hours.

Toronto ranked 25th in the NBA in 3-point attempt rate last season. The Raptors paired that gap with a top-five defense. Minnesota could center an offer on Rudy Gobert and a 2033 first-round pick.

The Toronto Raptors first pursued LaMelo Ball last summer. Toronto recently renewed those LaMelo Ball trade talks with Charlotte. The Raptors offer a cleaner roster fit than other suitors.

LaMelo Ball prefers to stay in Charlotte, per multiple reports. The Hornets weigh aggressive offers against that stated preference. A LaMelo Ball trade could reshape three rosters at once.

NBA free agency opens within days across the league. The Grizzlies added Isaiah Stewart, Cameron Boozer, and Karim Lopez in one week. Charlotte could move LaMelo Ball before free agency begins.