Isaiah Stewart made his return for the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday after dealing with a left calf strain that he initially tried to play through, but the pain eventually forced him to step away, per Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News.
The time off ended up benefiting him, helping him regain both comfort and rhythm.
“That time (off) allowed me to settle down and allowed me to feel better and feel like myself,” Stewart said. “Obviously, it was tough. But at the end of the day, I want to be there for my teammates come the playoffs. I’ll be able to play and be available, which is the most important thing.”
While Stewart understood the need to sit out, he’s disappointed that it cost him eligibility for end-of-season awards, where he may have earned All-Defensive recognition.
Even so, his main focus remained on getting healthy for the playoffs after missing last year’s run and not wanting that to happen again.
Stewart has played 6 seasons for the Pistons. He has averaged 8.8 points and 6.8 rebounds in 362 regular-season games.
Central Notes: Haliburton, Cunningham, Stewart, Harden https://t.co/Pg4IBJhEiX pic.twitter.com/i4HyruTc4A
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) April 9, 2026
