Report: Pistons' Isaiah Stewart Could Play vs. Pacers After Arrest for Eubanks Punch

Amid his ongoing legal issue, Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart reportedly could return to the court sooner than expected.

According to The Athletic's James L. Edwards III, Stewart "could be available" to play in Thursday's game against the Indiana Pacers, which takes place a little over a week after he was arrested on Feb. 14 for allegedly punching Phoenix Suns center Drew Eubanks.

Stewart was issued a citation and returned to Detroit with the team on the night of the incident. Edwards noted that sources said "a resolution to his legal case is not expected before Thursday's game and the league's ongoing review of the situation is not expected to net a suspension by Thursday's game."

Stewart is scheduled for a court appearance on a misdemeanor assault charge on Feb. 23 in Phoenix Municipal Court. However, Edwards reported that he will not have to physically make the appearance and will instead be represented by his lawyer. If he is found guilty, he is likely to face "a fine worth a couple of hundred dollars and would not serve any jail time," a criminal defense attorney told Edwards.

Eubanks said he and Stewart exchanged words in the parking lot of the Footprint Center Arena in Phoenix and got in each other's faces before Stewart "sucker punched" him. Eubanks still played in the game and had six points and six rebounds off the bench as the Suns earned a 116-100 win. Stewart was already sidelined with an ankle injury and wasn't expected to return until after the All-Star break.

The league is likely to wait until Stewart's legal case is resolved before making its decision on discipline for him, per Edwards.