Pistons trade for No. 53 pick Ugonna Onyenso after Isaiah Stewart trade

After trading Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies, the Detroit Pistons added a big man in the second round of the NBA Draft.

The Pistons acquired the No. 53 overall pick from the New York Knicks with cash, and used it to draft Virginia center Ugonna Onyenso, a person with knowledge of the trade confirmed to the Free Press.

The 21-year-old averaged 6.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.9 blocks in just 18.6 minutes per game, giving them a potential plus-rim protector after parting ways with their best defensive center.

The pick came moments after the Pistons agreed to trade Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies for three second-round picks.

It’s their second draft selection after moving up four spots to select Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie No. 17 overall on Tuesday.

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Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons trade for Virginia’s Ugonna Onyenso in NBA Draft