It has long been rumored that the Detroit Pistons are going to trade Jerami Grant and speculation has only increased in the offseason.
It makes sense if they can find the right deal, as he is on an expiring contract and may not be part of their long-term plans. He’s also a good player who would undoubtedly have value to a playoff team.
But how much value?
Fans of the Detroit Pistons are hoping Grant can bring back a top-10 pick in the draft from a team like the Portland Trail Blazers or New Orleans Pelicans, but that is a steep price to pay for a one-year rental of a player in Grant’s tier.
That price may look even steeper after a recent trade of Christian Wood, which got the trade season underway and gave us some idea of what the Detroit Pistons might expect to get for Jerami Grant.
Detroit Pistons: The Christian Wood trade and Jerami Grant
The Houston Rockets will trade Christian Wood to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the 26th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Boban Marjanovic, Trey Burke, Marquese Chriss and Sterling Brown.
None of those players are likely to be in the Houston rotation next season, so the 26th pick was the main asset exchanged and the rest were just to make the money work.
I don’t think the Detroit Pistons would be happy to take the 26th pick and a bunch of deep bench players for Jerami Grant, so how do he and Wood stack up when it comes to production, age and contract?
Jerami Grant vs. Christian Wood
Former Piston Christian Wood has made a big leap as a player since leaving the Detroit Pistons, as he has had a much larger role.
Wood is 26-years-old, so two years younger than Jerami Grant and is on a one year contract that pays him $14.3 million, a value deal considering his production.
But it is still an expiring contract, so like Grant (who will make $20.9 million), Wood is a one-year rental and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Wood is going to get a pay raise either way, and will almost certainly test the waters of unrestricted free agency looking for a max deal next offseason.
Same goes for Grant, who will be an UFA at season’s end and will be looking for a max deal. When it comes to contract and age, Wood is the better value now, but both players will be more expensive to keep in the future.
Wood averaged 17.9 points, 10.1 rebounds 2.3 assists and a block per game on 50 percent shooting overall and 39 percent from the 3-point line on 4.9 attempts for a terrible Rockets team.
Grant averaged 19.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and a block per game on 42.6 percent shooting overall and 35 percent from the 3-point line on 5.4 attempts for a terrible Pistons team.
Grant is the superior defender, though neither of them have a great defensive rating. Grant’s is five points lower than Wood’s, he can defend more positions, and is a guy who makes a far greater defensive impact on the perimeter, which is more valuable in the modern NBA.
Grant is also the better play-maker and better at getting his own shot, though both will be playing secondary roles on their respective teams.
Given all of this info, what can the Detroit Pistons expect to get for Jerami Grant now that Wood has set the market?
Detroit Pistons: What is Jerami Grant’s trade value?
I do think Jerami Grant is a better all-around player than Wood, but when you look at their respective ages, contracts and numbers, the two aren’t that far apart.
I do think most teams would view Grant as the better player, but both guys are unknowns when it comes to future contracts and are essentially one-year rentals until they sign a new one.
The 26th pick in a draft that is not incredibly deep is not great compensation for a player of Wood’s caliber, though his value may be somewhat diminished by his antics this season. Wood butted heads with his coach and was suspended after failing to take a COVID test and refusing to go into a game.
Grant, on the other hand, has drawn praise from Pistons’ coaches and top brass for being a great teammate and leader, so I do think Grant has more value when it comes to intangibles, as Wood is getting the reputation of a head case who may be more trouble than he is worth.
But is that difference going to be enough to make Grant worth at top-10 pick? It’s a big leap from the 26th pick to the 7th or 8th, so if the Wood trade set the market, then fans may not be happy with the possible return for Jerami Grant.
Any pick outside of the lottery is a huge roll of the dice, and the Detroit Pistons may come to the conclusion that keeping Grant is their safest bet.