Detroit Pistons: Does Jerami Grant fit the championship timeline?
Detroit Pistons: Jerami Grant’s career arc does not fit the timeline of this young core
Over the past two seasons, Weaver has acquired multiple draft picks to comprise a promising young core for Detroit’s future.
It all started at the 2020 NBA Draft. Along with Detroit’s seventh overall pick, Weaver traded for the 16th and 19th picks as well. Weaver’s draft haul from the 2020 draft included Killian Hayes at seven, Isaiah Stewart at 16, Saddiq Bey at 19, and Saben Lee in the second round.
During the 2020-21 season, Weaver would acquire 23-year-old guard Hamidou Diallo from the Oklahoma City thunder.
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This offseason, Weaver continued to collect young talent as the second-year GM made four picks in the 2021 NBA Draft.
The draft lottery favored Detroit and the Pistons landed the first overall pick, moving up one spot in the Draft. With the first overall selection, Detroit took Cade Cunningham, the consensus top prospect in the 2021 draft class. Two of Weaver’s second-round picks, Isaiah Livers and Luka Garza, will spend time with both the Detroit Pistons and the team’s G-League affiliate the Motor City Cruise.
In all, the Pistons will enter the 2021-22 season with 10 players (including two-way contracts) at the age of 23 or below on their roster.
Grant will be over the age of 30 by the time Detroit’s restoration comes to an end. The prime years of his career will be behind him, and Detroit will not be getting the same level of play they are now.
Ultimately, Grant’s career timeline does not match that of this young Pistons core. If he wants to be a high level player competing for a championship, Detroit is not the place to do so quite yet. If he is willing to wait, mentor these young players, and compete for a championship while his level of play is on the decline, this is the place to be.
Ultimately, while Grant has his own decisions to make about his future with this developing Detroit team, Weaver and the front office will have to do the same.
Maximizing Grant’s trade value before his contract expires could net them a young prospect and potential star. Keeping him around would provide this young group with a veteran to mentor them. The team would also be hoping that Grant’s level of play can remain high enough to make him an effective player for his pricetag heading into his 30s.