The Oklahoma City Thunder got the most out of Isaiah Joe over the past four seasons, turning the guard into a dangerous sharpshooter after his first two years in Philly. Now, Joe is taking his skills to another franchise, as he was reportedly acquired by the Detroit Pistons on Friday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The move comes with two more years left on the four-year, $48 million deal Joe signed with the Thunder back in 2022. Detroit will send two second-round draft picks to the Thunder in exchange for Joe.
Signing that deal with the Thunder proved to be an extremely wise decision for Joe. After being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft, Joe turned in two mediocre seasons with the franchise.
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He struggled to find consistent playing time with Philadelphia, starting just two games in his first two years in the NBA. Joe averaged just 3.7 points and 10.7 minutes per game with the 76ers. The team waived him shortly after the end of the 2021-22 NBA season.
Three days later, Joe agreed to a deal with the Thunder. He immediately took a step forward with his new team, upping his field-goal percentage and 3-point percentage considerably, and falling into a solid reserve in the team’s rotation. His scoring jumped to 9.4 points per game in his first season with Oklahoma City.
That proved to be the new norm for Joe. Over his four seasons with the Thunder, Joe averaged 9.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He helped the team win the NBA championship during the 2024-25 season, averaging 5.1 points in 21 playoff games.
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Despite Joe’s success in Oklahoma City, the team made him redundant after selecting Bennett Stirtz and Otega Oweh in the the 2026 NBA Draft. Stirtz is considered a strong shooter and Oweh excelled on catch-and-shoot 3s in college.
With the Thunder’s payroll already tied up in its star players, shedding Joe’s contract seemed like an obvious move for Thunder general manager Sam Presti.
Joe should continue to fill his usual role with the Pistons. While he’s unlikely to start more games, he’ll provide a much-needed offensive boost off the bench in Detroit.
