It seems like every day there is a new team connected to the Detroit Pistons in a Jerami Grant trade rumor.
Two days ago, the Atlanta Hawks were in reports connecting them to Grant, with John Collins’ name being attached, an offer that seems too good to be true and it probably is.
Yesterday, the Dallas Mavericks were reported to have interest in Grant according to HoopsHype, with Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith mentioned as guys who could be moved.
Apparently the Pistons have spoken favorably of Brunson in the past, so two and two were put together and ended in some pretty wild speculation in my opinion.
Jalen Brunson is having a breakout season for the Mavericks, but probably isn’t part of their long-term plans if they want to stay out of the luxury tax. It makes sense that his name would be mentioned in trade rumors, but it doesn’t make any sense for the Detroit Pistons.
Let’s break this newest rumor down.
Jalen Brunson is not a fit on the Detroit Pistons
Let’s just start with the obvious here, which is that the Detroit Pistons do not need Jalen Brunson.
Brunson is a six-foot-one point guard who is having a nice season, averaging 15.7 points, 5.5 assists and 3.8 rebounds for the Mavs. He has started more than half the games so far, but projects more as a bench guy on a good team.
The Pistons desperately need some size and shooting, but Brunson provides neither, as he is an undersized guard who shoots 33 percent from 3-point range.
The Pistons already have logjam at guard with Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes, Cory Joseph and Saben Lee, so there is really no reason to add another one unless he is the perfect complement to Cade, which Brunson most certainly is not.
But Brunson’s fit on the Pistons is not the only reason he should not be a target in a Jerami Grant trade.
What a Jalen Brunson for Jerami Grant trade would look like
Jalen Brunson is on the final year of his rookie contract and Dorian Finney-Smith (the other name mentioned) is on the final year of a deal that pays him $4 million.
Let’s just pretend for a second that this is not a gross underpay for Grant (it is), the money doesn’t work anyway. The Mavericks would have to throw in at least two more players to make this work, so a trade would look something like this:
On paper, you could kind of, sort of make an argument for this, as the Detroit Pistons get a young player with upside (Brunson), a nice role player (Finny-Smith), some shooting (Bullock) and a young, bouncy big to take a flyer on (Brown).
The Pistons would have to either trade additional players or cut guys to make room on the roster, which seems silly considering none of these four guys are going to move the needle for Detroit and would just represent future problems.
So the fit isn’t there, and the contracts don’t really work, but there are even more reasons this won’t happen.
The Detroit Pistons are not stupid enough to give Jerami Grant away for nothing
I’ve said many times that the Pistons have all of the leverage in any Jerami Grant deal because they don’t have to move him at all.
He still has another year left on his deal at a good price, so they can either sign him long term or trade him in the offseason or before next year’s trade deadline. There isn’t any rush.
Also, the Detroit Pistons aren’t stupid.
Jalen Brunson is going to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, so if they really want him (I don’t think they do), then they can just wait and make him an offer, as they will be one of the only teams with cap space.
It’s not like Brunson is some high-profile guy. If the Pistons wanted him, they could probably have him as a free agent without giving up anything except money and a roster spot to get him.
I just don’t see any logical reason the Detroit Pistons would make a move for Brunson, who could just leave at the end of the season anyway.
They certainly aren’t going to move their best trade asset for him, so I think we can go ahead and put this one to rest.