NBA drops hammer after Pistons-Hornets fight, Isaiah Stewart hit hardest

The NBA came down hard on the fallout from Monday night’s melee in Charlotte, and no one felt it more than Isaiah Stewart.

The league announced Wednesday that Stewart has been suspended seven games for leaving the bench area and aggressively entering the on-court altercation between the Pistons and Hornets.

Three other suspensions were handed down as well. Hornets forward Miles Bridges and center Moussa Diabate each received four games, while Pistons center Jalen Duren was suspended two games.

Stewart’s punishment was the stiffest, in part because of what the league described as a “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts.” He was also the only player involved who was not on the court when the fight began.

Stewart left the bench area to confront Bridges during the chaos.

The incident occurred with just over 7:00 left in the third quarter. Duren drove into the lane, was fouled hard by Diabate, and the two exchanged head contact. Duren then shoved Diabate in the face, setting off a confrontation that lasted more than 30 seconds.

Bridges escalated things by charging toward Duren and throwing a punch. As players and coaches tried to separate them, Stewart sprinted onto the floor and confronted Bridges, leading to another brief but violent exchange before order was restored.

The league said Bridges and Diabate were suspended for “fighting and escalating the altercation,” while Duren was penalized for “initiating the altercation and fighting.”

Duren will begin serving his suspension Wednesday in Toronto and will miss the Pistons’ first game after the All-Star break in New York. He is still eligible to play in Sunday’s All-Star Game, per Chris Haynes.

Stewart will miss seven total games and is eligible to return March three in Cleveland. In his absence, Paul Reed is expected to see an expanded role.

All four players will lose 1/145th of their salaries per suspended game, with Stewart’s total fine exceeding $700,000.