Remember the Lakers vs. Pistons game from three years ago? No, it was not a high-stakes encounter by any means. But it left the hoops world buzzing. And for all the wrong reasons. That’s because it saw a heated physical altercation between LeBron James and Isaiah Stewart, which left the Pistons forward bloodied and the Lakers star suspended for the first time in his career. But guess what? Despite their unpleasant history, Stewart and LBJ could end up on the same team as Rob Pelinka continues his off-season search to solve the Lakers’ dilemma.

Well, apart from re-signing King James and Max Christie, Pelinka has not done anything that moves the needle so far. And with only $45,000 to spare before they cross the second apron, he does not have much wiggle room to give JJ Redick the roster upgrade he needs. That’s where Isaiah Stewart could come to their rescue. As the Lakers are looking for a 3 and D guy following the departure of Taurean Prince, the Pistons forward could fill that void as he averaged 10.9 points this past season and improved his deep range efficiency to 38.3%.

Moreover, his 6’8” 250lbs frame could be a solid defensive presence for the team and would take the pressure off Anthony Davis to constantly be a rim protector. And the most intriguing aspect is that Isaiah Stewart is currently signed on a four-year $60 million deal with the Pistons and Pelinka might not have to give up a lot of assets to acquire him, keeping the team away from tax penalties.

But first, he will have to check if LeBron James is okay with being the forward’s teammate as there might still be some bad blood after the four-time champ was left “devastated” after missing the chance to play at MSG because of the one-game suspension resulting from the fight with Stewart. As of now, there are no talks of the big man’s availability in the market, but things could change before the February deadline as the Lakers continue to look for an upgrade.

How the Isaiah Stewart’s altercation led to LeBron James being suspended for “bulls**t”

With Isaiah Stewart’s name going around in the Lakers’ trade rumors, surely many of you would be wondering how his altercation with LeBron James began. Well, it started after LBJ inadvertently hit the Pistons forward in the eye while trying to box him out during some free throws. Unfortunately, the blow caused Stewart to bleed profusely from the side of his eye and he got riled up because of it. Then, he charged toward LBJ multiple times as his teammates and the Pistons staff attempted to calm him down.

Just when it looked like the situation had settled, Isaiah Stewart ran through the people on the court once again with blood pouring down his face but was stopped before he could reach James. As a result, both LeBron and Stewart got ejected from the game. And when the Lakers star found out that he had been suspended for the act, he claimed, “I mean, it’s some bulls**t. But whatever.”

But one thing that he regretted the most was not being able to play at MSG due to the suspension as it would be his only chance to play in the historic arena that season, “It’s my favorite place in the world to play, so I was looking forward to it. But it is what it is.”

Yes, there is a lot of history between them. But the big question is: Can they look past it and bury the hatchet to join forces for a bigger goal? What are your thoughts?

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.