Pistons get last laugh as Jerami Grant's move to Portland backfired

It doesn’t look so bad now.
Detroit Pistons, Jerami Grant
Detroit Pistons, Jerami Grant | Soobum Im/GettyImages

The Detroit Pistons were mocked for their return in the 2022 Jerami Grant trade, but things have completely flipped. Grant was entering the final year of his contract when the Pistons traded him, and the Blazers gave him a five-year $160 million deal to keep him. Now, Portland wants to move him to the bench and can’t find a taker for the final three years of his contract.

The Pistons got a 2025 first-round pick that was later sent packing and two second rounders in this deal. Grant blossomed into a 20-point-per-game scorer in the Motor City, but Cade Cunningham was blossoming into a star. It was time for the Pistons to move on, even if they didn’t maximize his value in this trade.

The Blazers got two solid years of production from Grant, but they were unexpectedly thrown into a rebuild after Damian Lillard requested a trade. The 6'7 forward took a significant step back last season and has been passed by Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara on Portland’s depth chart. Grant’s contract is quickly becoming one of the worst in the NBA, and the Blazers are filled with regret.

Pistons get last laugh as Jerami Grant backfires on the Blazers

Portland owes Grant $102.6 million over the next three seasons. He will accept his player option in 2027, which sticks him on the Blazers' books through 2028. They would have to attach draft picks to dump his contract. That is not something the Blazes want to do as they hope to snap a four-year playoff drought.

Grant averaged 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 0.9 steals in 32.4 minutes per game last season. He shot 37.3 percent from the field and 36.5 percent on his threes. Detroit needs more production from a $30 million per year player.

There is no worse position for an NBA team than having a massive untradeable contract on its cap sheet. Grant has become that in Rip City, and it is a headache the Pistons wisely avoid. Detroit knew the 6’7 forward wanted a raise, so they quickly moved on. Now, all the Pistons can do is laugh as the problem is worse than expected for the Trail Blazers. Grant is only 31, but the decline looks real.

Blazers fans and the rest of the league don’t find this return so bad now. The Pistons were never going to pay Jerami Grant. Detroit just vaulted back into the playoffs, and Portland's best chance at returning means going away from Grant. This trade has turned into a massive win for the Pistons, even if few saw that coming when it happened.

The Detroit Pistons wisely traded Jerami Grant in 2022 and have done a fantastic job in remaking their roster. Their future is bright, and fans should be excited. The Blazers have an exciting future, but Grant’s gigantic contract is a dark cloud hanging over their build. Credit to the Pistons for getting out at exactly the right time.