Detroit Pistons: Finally, a mock Jerami Grant trade that’s sensible

The Detroit Pistons have been featured in more offseason trade scenarios than ever before. Which is sort of a good thing, because it means they have something other teams would be interested in.

However, most of these trades have been laughable at best, as it seems like bigger market teams think they can lowball Detroit for the sudden windfall of assets they won in the draft lottery and in a season full of hope for the future.

Teams have offered pick swaps and just one measly future first-round pick for the first overall draft pick later this month, citing that previous #1 picks have been traded for far less. This is true, but the value of the 2021 pick is often understated. Anthony Bennett and Markelle Fultz are not the prize this year  – phenom Cade Cunningham is.

If you want to see some truly bad trades, fan pages on Instagram and Twitter are a good place to start.

However, there was a recent notable exception. @freshprinceofthenba on Instagram has been attempting to rebuild the Golden State Warriors to contention next season and suggested that adding Christian Wood and Jerami Grant would immediately bolster their lineup.

The NBA Fresh Prince could not be more right, but what would Detroit need to part with their best player? The guy is playing in the Olympics after all.

In order to get Wood from the Rockets, the mock trade sent James Wiseman, Kevon Looney, Eric Paschall, and the 14th overall pick in this year’s draft to Houston. That’s a pretty nice trade package, but what does Detroit get in this mock trade?

For Jerami Grant and Cory Joseph, Detroit would get Andrew Wiggins, a 2023 first-round pick, and this year’s seventh overall draft pick. Honestly, this is the best trade for Detroit I’ve seen all season.

Wiggins, a former No. 1 overall draft pick, is definitely a serviceable replacement for Grant. However, if Weaver and the front office didn’t want to take that route, they could find another forward in the draft and, with a second lottery pick, they could find someone who would be immediately ready to be a starter. Jonathan Kuminga, Scottie Barnes, and Franz Wagner all come immediately  to mind.

If Wiggins is not a part of the team’s future, they could, perhaps, send him out to get yet another first-round pick. The San Antonio Spurs are bracing for DeMar DeRozan to leave as an unrestricted free agency, and they pick at No. 12 this year. Perhaps a trade package can be worked out with them?

There are other options, too. Oklahoma City picks at six, 16, and 18. Wiggins isn’t enough to get the sixth overall pick, but maybe he could move Detroit to 16, getting them three first-round picks, all in the top-20. Exactly what they had last year in the draft.

As alternative,  Wiggins could be used as a trade chip to add shooting to the roster. Wiggins has been a streaky shooter during his tenure in the league, so they could roll the dice and trade him for Coby White, who has had his struggles with the Chicago Bulls, but would be a welcome offensive weapon to come off the bench for many, many years.

On the original trade proposal post, most of the comments are along the lines of “Detroit wouldn’t trade Grant for anything,” or “Wiggins is better than Grant anyway.” Both of these are false.

Grant has a price, and it may be high, but for another lottery pick, he can go. Wiggins is also objectively a worse player. He can’t play elite defense or be a primary ball-handler, and his scoring is inefficient. USA Basketball wanted Grant, not Wiggins, that says something.

Plus, Golden State doesn’t even want him around. The Warriors is definitely in win-now mode, and Detroit can make a lot of big splashes in the draft. It’s a win-win situation, and one of the first I’ve seen all offseason.