Detroit Pistons: An unlikely trade partner for Jerami Grant
The 2022 Detroit Pistons made improvement behind Cade Cunningham, but there were certainly still some old issues haunting the team.
For the last two seasons, the Pistons have been 21st and 29th in 3-point percentage, respectively, and could use a veteran who can knock down the 3-ball. Their bench was 10th in the league in attempted threes but 29th in percentage. Adding an elite veteran shooter could elevate the team, and adding draft picks to the mix is also a great move for a rapidly improving young franchise.
The San Antonio Spurs are an unlikely trade partner, but they need to clear roster space this season to make room for their incoming draft picks, considering they have four, three of which are in the first round. The Spurs are by no means an elite shooting team either, so convincing them to part ways with some firepower would be no easy task.
The Spurs have two great young scorers in Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell, but it’s unlikely the Pistons could pry them away without an absolute treasure chest. Some veteran talent, who would immediately bolster both the bench and starting five, is much more realistic. It might even come cheaper than expected.
The San Antonio Spurs could move veteran sharpshooters Doug McDermott and Josh Richardson to Detroit in exchange for Jerami Grant and Isaiah Stewart. The Spurs would also throw in a first-round pick via Toronto in this year’s draft, which would fall to 20th.
Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs: The Trade Works for Both Teams
The Pistons should be all over this swap. McDermott and Richardson shot 42% and 41% from the arc this season. It is true that McDermott is a poor defender, but he is surprisingly agile and able to score from anywhere. Richardson broke out after being dealt to San Antonio before the deadline. He is a great two-way player who could be inserted into the backcourt alongside Cade Cunningham, and would not command the ball, allowing young players to continue to flourish. McDermott would probably come off the bench, but depending on how free agency and the draft goes, he could lead Detroit’s bench in scoring.
The Spurs would be incentivized to say yes to this trade because they need a power forward badly. Grant has shown he can play the position, and the Spurs would love the opportunity to develop Beef Stew into something special. San Antonio sees itself as a competitor in the next two years, and a lineup of Murray, Vassell, Johnson, Grant, and Poeltl would be a nightmare for opposing offenses to match up against. Grant would join the secondary scorers on the roster and return to his pre-Detroit role, which might take some time. Stewart would come off the bench unless he sees rapid improvement.
The first-round pick just sweetens the pot a little bit and would be required by the Pistons to part with fan-favorite Stewart. The Pistons would add 8.8 attempts per game from deep from two elite shooters, and the Spurs could fill their needs at the power forward position. The Spurs have expressed interest in parting ways with Dougie McBuckets and Detroit fans have been crying for Grant to move on. Stewart and Richardson are collateral damage, but both would fit in very nicely on their new teams.
Detroit Pistons trade Jerami Grant: There is no negative salary cap hit
The Pistons and Spurs both have a lot of salary cap room to pursue free agents this summer, but the salaries match up almost exactly. Both teams would be able to make a run at Deandre Ayton, Miles Bridges, or Zach LaVine. McDermott has two years left on his contract ($13 million a year) and Richardson has one on his (at $11 million) so there would be no long-term commitments for either team.
What do you think Detroit, is this enough for the Pistons to move Jerami Grant?