The Detroit Pistons have their new Beef Stew

I'm projecting a step back for the 2026-27 Detroit Pistons after a 60-win campaign in 2025-26. I hold this belief for a multitude of reasons — the negative vibes surrounding Jalen Duren, the improved opponent pool around them, etc. — but chief among them is the loss of big man Isaiah Stewart.

I know their relationship soured toward the end of his tenure with the team, but he was a key cog in the second-best defense in the Association. And more importantly, his unwavering tenacity established a culture predicated around grit and physicality. To frame it more pointedly, Stewart was their enforcer, and without him, the Pistons feel like a team without an identity.

But through one preseason game, it's looking like I may have to eat a hat on that last take, as a newcomer may have emerged to fill the void of toughness left by Beef Stew.

John Collins is the team's new Beef Stew

The Pistons brought in a bunch of new faces this summer, one of which was John Collins, whom the team signed to a three-year, $51 million deal. Functionally, Collins was meant to take the place of Tobias Harris — the team's starting power forward over the last two years — but spiritually, it looks like he wants to be the new Stewart.

Over the first nine years of his career, Collins' game has seemed more flashy than forceful. As he's matured into himself, he's added to his acrobatic profile by becoming more confident off the dribble and as a spacer from the perimeter. He's shot over 37 percent from downtown in each of the last three years.

However, in the Pistons' preseason opener against the Phoenix Suns, Collins showed some serious guts, going toe-to-toe with one of the most formidable foes in the entire league in Dillon Brooks.

From this clip, Brooks is the clear antagonist of this scuffle. He was the one straddling the line between hard-nosed defense and foul play. Collins was merely retaliating, but it's still nice to see him show some backbone.

Of course, getting into an altercation with a player who is known to make a living by getting under the skin of his opponents is a far cry from being a nightly enforcer. For his career, Stewart has 52 career technical fouls. Meanwhile, Collins only has 16, despite having appeared in 176 more games than Stewart.

Given his combination of size, skill and shooting, maybe the better comparison for Collins is former Pistons great Rasheed Wallace. Wallace spent most of the aughts instilling fear in opponents with his blend of talent and a willingness to get his hands dirty.

Collins has a long way before he can reach this ideal, and honestly, given how much trouble both Stewart and Wallace's tempers caused themselves and their team, maybe he shouldn't strive for this goal at all. But it will be interesting to monitor this storyline as the season goes on. Was Collins just another victim of Brooks' never-ending mind games, or is he ready to bear the torch as the Pistons' next great enforcer?

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow