The Detroit Pistons have been involved in Jerami Grant trade rumors for weeks and the day is finally here to make a decision.
I am sure the Pistons have had their share of offers, but it seems like the talk has died down in the last few days, leaving the possibility that Grant will not be traded.
Detroit has made it clear (so far) that they are not going to accept an low-ball offer for a guy who is a productive player on a good contract that extends through next season.
Since his deal is not expiring, the Pistons do have the leverage in any deal, as they are not at risk of losing him for nothing if they can’t work a trade.
I know some fans would be disappointed, but there are still a lot of options open to the Detroit Pistons if they don’t move Jerami Grant at the deadline.
The Detroit Pistons could extend Jerami Grant
I’ve talked about what a future would look like for the Pistons with Jerami Grant, and it is not the end-of-the-world scenario some fans would make it out to be.
Grant is reportedly looking for a four year extension in the $112 million range, which would make him less of a value contract, but is still a deal the Pistons could make.
Grant will be a valuable player for years to come, though he will have to adjust his game to better fit with Cade Cunningham, who is the focal point of the rebuild.
If the Pistons don’t trade Grant, an extension this offseason is definitely a possibility, though I feel like the only way Detroit would do it is if Grant were to offer a hometown discount, which he may if he wants to stay and see the restoration through to its completion.
I do think this is a possibility if the deadline passes and Grant is still in Detroit, though I wouldn’t say it’s the most likely one.
The Detroit Pistons could make the Jerami Grant trade in the offseason
There have been rumblings that the Pistons are more inclined to wait until the offseason to trade Jerami Grant and I do think this makes some sense for a few reasons.
Detroit hasn’t even really gotten to see what this year’s team looks like at full strength, as Kelly Olynyk went out, then Grant, now Cunningham, so they’ve only played a handful of games together and haven’t had a chance to gel.
We don’t really know what the fit looks like, so waiting to trade Grant would hopefully give the Pistons the chance to audition their team and see how it works over the final few months.
Waiting until the offseason would also give the Pistons more time to study the market and find a good trade instead of trying to throw together something in a rush.
Every team thinks they are a contender in the offseason, so the market for Grant might be even more robust than it is now.
The Pistons would have a chance to do their research and find a team that wants to extend Grant (his wish) and has the right assets to get him. A team might be more likely to give into the Pistons’ asking price if they know exactly what they are getting in terms of years and dollars.
There will undoubtedly be a few teams with new GM’s looking to make a splash in the offseason, so it might benefit the Pistons to wait.
Waiting also allows Detroit to go through the 2022 NBA Draft and free agency and know exactly what their needs are before making a trade.
If it doesn’t happen in the offseason, and Detroit still hasn’t extended Grant, then we enter into the worst-case-scenario.
The Detroit Pistons could wait until next season to trade Jerami Grant
Who feels like doing this all again next season? Definitely not me, which is why holding onto Grant without re-signing him is probably Detroit’s worst option.
Not only would his extension and eventual trade be hanging over the season, but teams looking to trade for him would view him more as a rental unless they envisioned him staying long term.
That probably lowers his value, though some teams might be more inclined to trade for a guy like Grant on an expiring deal depending on their financial situation.
Grant would want some assurance from the other team that they have plans to re-sign him, which could potentially lower the number of suitors, as I think a lot of teams would balk at giving him a four-year deal.
I think this is the least likely scenario, as Detroit doesn’t want these trade rumors lingering over multiple seasons and Grant’s value may have plummeted by then if he suffers another injury or starts to regress in a changing role.
I still think it is 50/50 that Detroit trades Jerami Grant today, but if they don’t, they still have options on the table for the future.