How Pistons can plug holes left by Jerami Grant’s potential departure
By Ryan Colores
Jerami Grant’s offensive skillset
It has been well documented that one of Jerami Grant’s prime motivators for signing with the Pistons was the opportunity to become an offensive feature, which wasn’t quite made possible in Denver. As a result, Grant has had the creative freedom to hone his craft as a shot-creator.
For better or worse, Jerami went from the third/fourth option in Denver to the number one option in Detroit. However, the addition of Cade Cunningham has caused Grant’s skills to be seen as an inhibitor to the offense, specifically when Jerami’s offensive reps come at the expense of opportunities for Cade and other young pieces Detroit has committed to building around.
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However, if utilized properly, Jerami Grant’s offensive arsenal can be a huge asset to a competitive club. When used primarily as a floor spacer with the capability to create offense in a pinch, Jerami can be a huge addition if he’s willing to cede offensive responsibility elsewhere on the roster. This is the very reason many believe a Grant trade is in the cards in the near future.
Detroit got a taste of what a Jerami-less offense looks like when Jerami missed extended time due to a thumb injury. Many believed it flowed better with Cade at the helm. Additionally, the shakeup of the offensive pecking order with Jerami gone placed more emphasis on the younger guys. However, removing Grant from this roster also involves removing the 19 points per game he scores. Jerami’s offensive production will undoubtedly be hard to replicate.
I believe that the most important aspect of Jerami’s offensive skill set that the Pistons must look to prioritize if a move materializes should be rim pressure. Jerami is especially adept at drawing calls and getting to the foul line. This, in turn, keeps defenders honest and creates opportunities for Jerami to cash in on good looks from downtown. As this young, inexperienced iteration of the Detroit Pistons develops into more experienced players, the ability to manufacture open looks from three will be of high priority, which starts with pressuring the rim.