Jerami Grant of the Detroit Pistons will be one of the hottest names at the NBA trade deadline this season and the Pistons hold all of the cards.
With the rise of Saddiq Bey and Hamidou Diallo in his absence, a Jerami Grant trade seems almost inevitable at this point.
Even though he is hurt, his value may never be higher, and he is not a clear fit with rookie Cade Cunningham, who the Pistons are now building around.
If Grant were willing to adjust his game and take a secondary role, then I’d have no problem with the Pistons signing him to a long-term deal, as he is a good player who wants to be in Detroit.
If not, his time in Detroit could be coming to an end soon.
I’ve been seeing a lot of ridiculous low-ball deals for Grant floating around, mostly by Lakers’ fans who are delusional about the value of their own guys.
Luckily, the Pistons have all of the leverage in any Jerami Grant trade and can hold out for the best possible deal or just walk away.
Detroit Pistons: Jerami Grant may be the best player available for trade
The play-in tournament has changed the outlook of the NBA, as there are a lot more teams in contention, which could mean fewer sellers and more buyers at the trade deadline.
This is is great news for the Detroit Pistons, as Jerami Grant may be the best player available if you factor in both skill and future salary.
Grant is on a very team-friendly deal that most teams would be able to take on, and he still has one more year left, so he wouldn’t be a rental, but isn’t a long-term commitment either.
He’s in the “Goldilocks” zone of contracts, which makes him appealing financially.
Guys like Ben Simmons, De’Aaron Fox or maybe even Damian Lillard might be available, but most contenders wouldn’t have what it takes to trade for them without gutting their team.
Jerami Grant is at the top of the next tier of guys who can be impact players but not break the bank, which means he’ll be a hot commodity for the Detroit Pistons.
The Detroit Pistons don’t have to trade Jerami Grant
Another reason the Pistons have all of the leverage is that they are not in a desperate position and don’t have to trade Jerami Grant at all.
As I said, it’s possible the Pistons will just extend him to a long-term deal similar to the one he is on and make him part of the future.
Grant chose Detroit, has been a great veteran presence and if he wants to see this restoration through to its end, the Pistons might accommodate him.
Also, they could just hold onto him until the offseason, when his value will be just as high, or even until next year’s trade deadline, as he would carry additional value as an expiring contract.
The Pistons don’t have to be in a rush to trade Jerami Grant, so they can weigh all offers and simply walk away if they don’t get one they like.
This puts them in a position of power, as they can force the other team to put their best assets on the table, perhaps even overpay for Grant’s services, and if they don’t want to, so be it.
Grant’s value isn’t going to diminish over the course of the next year, so the Detroit Pistons can be patient.
There are a lot of teams interested in a Jerami Grant trade
The Pistons are reportedly getting calls on Grant from just about every contender.
So far I’ve heard the Lakers, Trail Blazers, Jazz, Bulls, Suns and Warriors as possible destinations for Grant and there are probably more.
Like I said, the play-in has changed the landscape of the NBA and there are lot more teams who believe they are close to contention.
As a secondary factor, many of these teams are looking to recoup lost revenue by hosting a few playoff games and would love to get there even if they don’t have a realistic shot at a title.
With so many teams with reported interest, the Detroit Pistons can sit back and let the bidding war begin. Not only would Grant be a nice addition to almost any contender, but getting him keeps him off the roster of your competition, which means some team might overpay to keep him from going to a team like the Suns or Warriors, who are already loaded with talent.
It’s a great position for Detroit to be in, as they have all of the leverage and don’t have to take some low-ball deal just to get rid of a guy. This is the exact opposite of where they were last season with Blake Griffin.
The market should be robust and if the Detroit Pistons play this right, they could walk away with a haul for Jerami Grant at the deadline.