Jerami Grant has proven to be a valuable player for team’s making a run for the NBA title in the past. Does that make him a keeper for the Detroit Pistons, or an excellent trade chip?
Before Jerami Grant joined the Pistons are became their main offensive threat (well, co-main with Cade Cunningham this season), he was a great role player for the Denver Nuggets when they reached the Western Conference finals in the ‘bubble’ in 2020.
He proved so valuable, the Nuggets said they would match the three-year, $60 million offer the Pistons made to the 6-foot-9 forward. Grant decided to move to Detroit, where he would be more a part of the offense, but his time in the Mile High City showed he can help a championship contending team.
Other teams know this as well, which is why rumors swirled at the trade deadline about Detroit moving Grant. In the end, Grant remained, but, with one more year left on his contract, where in the NBA world Grant will be next season is an open question.
Grant is eligible for an extension in the off-season, which could be up to four years and $112 million. That would lock Grant in for the immediate future with Detroit, but do the Pistons want to, or should, do that?
The ‘tanking’ and ‘restoring’ end next year, coach Dwane Casey and general manager Troy Weaver have made that clear. Nothing less than, at least, a Play-in tournament spot will be seen as an acceptable finish next season.
Grant has a proven track record of helping teams with playoff aspirations. So, locking him up (Detroit has lots of cap space to take care of it) would seem to be a no-brainer. However, Detroit also have some young, ascending players, who might make having Grant a luxury.
Who Detroit Pistons draft could decide Grant’s future
Detroit will have a high draft pick this season. How high is yet to be determined. It could be No. 1 again, or as far back as No. 7. If the Pistons are in the top three, the consensus top three players are all power forward/center types: Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero and Jabari White.
If Detroit is getting a top draft pick who plays the same position as Grant, there is not much point in keeping him around. He left Denver because he did not want to be simply a role player. The best thing then, might be to deal him for the best offer Weaver can find.
Portland is already making noises about acquiring Grant.
If you have on next season’s roster: Top draft pick, Kelly Olynyk, Isaiah Stewart and Marvin Bagley III all who can play Grant’s position, what is the point of his returning? Particularly when it will take a mountain of money to keep him for the future.
Jerami Grant is far too valuable to trade away
On the current roster, only three players have extensive playoff experience: Cory Joseph (who won a ring in San Antonio), Olynyk (part of Miami’s NBA final team in 2020) and Grant.
Entering playoff contention, it is important to have some players with experience. Every NBA player says the playoffs are a different animal than the regular season. To have some playoff vets to help guide the younger players is crucial.
If you are going to be in the playoffs, might as well try to do as well as possible.
One thing that will not be a problem is Grant’s wishes. He has stated many times he is happy in Detroit and and is not looking to leave.
Grant, unlike Olynyk and Joseph, is under 30, so he has plenty of good years remaining. He is a proven positive in big-time playoff games (his defense on LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the West finals were noticed). He is the kind of player you need to succeed in the post-season.
The main argument for keeping Grant: You will need a player like Grant when you are ready to make a deep playoff run,. Why give up assets in the future for a Grant-type, when you can just lock up Grant now.
The future of Jerami Grant is one of the Pistons biggest questions this summer. There will be plenty of other NBA interested in acquiring him, but will the price be right for the Pistons? And do they actually want to get rid of him. We shall see.