Detroit Pistons: Will Jerami Grant be an NBA All-Star this season?
Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham will ease the offensive pressure off Jerami Grant
The major addition to Detroit’s roster this offseason was former Oklahoma State point guard Cade Cunningham.
The consensus top prospect in the 2021 NBA Draft, Cunningham was the top selection for Detroit after the team moved up in the Draft Lottery to the number one pick.
The 19-year-old Cunningham joins Grant as a 1a, 1b type of scoring duo. This addition provides Grant with a true second primary scoring option to play with. This will be the first time Grant has had such a player since Rose was traded to the Knicks back in early February.
Cunningham will take much of the offensive burden off of Grant this upcoming season. Grant will no longer be the sole target defenses rotate to stoping on every offensive possession for Detroit.
The 6-8 point guard was a great scorer at the collegiate level. Cunningham scored 20.1 points per game while shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc in his lone season as an Oklahoma State Cowboy.
Cunningham is an adept scorer at all three levels. He also possesses a playmaking ability that would pair very nicely with Grant as well. The two stars would make for a very nice pick-and-roll duo in the NBA.
Assuming Cunningham’s shooting ability translates to the next level fairly quickly, he and Grant would be very dynamic on pick-and-rolls and pick-and-pops.
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While Grant had a down year in terms of three-point efficiency, the 27-year-old is a proven above-average shooter from beyond the arc. He also possesses a cutting ability that makes him a serious lob threat and a versatile pick-and-roll screener.
The duo of Grant and Cunningham will make Detroit’s offense much more dynamic than it was during the previous season (not that it would take much). Grant is no longer going to have to shoulder all of the offensive load for Detroit this upcoming season.
As Cunningham alleviates some of the defensive pressure that Grant will face next season, the power forwards shooting efficiency should see a major improvement. Grant will face fewer double teams and will, likewise, be afforded more space to operate on isolations. The 6-foot-9 Grant will have a great playmaker and secondary scorer to play alongside as well.
This reduced pressure points towards Grant having a much more efficient 2021-22 season. Efficiency was one of the major knocks on Grant’s bid for an All-Star selection last season. Improving his shooting numbers should help the 27-year-old, make the strides necessary to making an All-Star team this year.