Pistons forward Jerami Grant is expected to be one of the most sought-after players on the trade market this season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who hears from sources that Detroit is open to a possible deal.
Charania says that the Pistons get dozens of calls about Grant each week, though the list of known suitors isn’t long at this point.
Charania identifies the Trail Blazers and Lakers as a couple teams in pursuit of the 27-year-old. The Sixers have previously been said to have interest in Grant, but there have been conflicting reports about how serious that interest is. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer wrote today that Grant would make sense as a trade target for the Jazz — that sounds more like speculation than anything concrete, though it’s worth noting that Charania also said today that Utah is in the market for a “defensive-minded wing” on the trade market.
Grant has expanded his game since arriving in Detroit, showing an ability to be an on-ball scorer and secondary play-maker after establishing himself as a solid spot-up shooter and defender in Oklahoma City and Denver. His skill set would appeal to most playoff teams, so he figures to draw widespread interest around the league if he’s legitimately available.
Grant is currently on the shelf due to torn ligaments in his right thumb and likely won’t return until closer to the trade deadline. However, both Charania and O’Connor hear that the injury is unlikely to affect his trade market or the Pistons’ willingness to listen to offers.
In 78 games (33.7 MPG) across two seasons with the Pistons, Grant has averaged 21.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.1 BPG on .425/.344/.847 shooting. He’s earning just over $20MM this season and his contract runs through 2022/23. As Charania observes, Grant will become extension-eligible during the 2022 offseason and could sign a four-year deal worth up to $112.65MM at that time.
Teams with trade interest in Grant know they’d have to go pretty close to that max – if not all the way up to it – in order to extend him before he reaches free agency in 2023, according to Charania, who likens Grant’s situation to that of Aaron Gordon a year ago. Denver acquired Gordon from Orlando at the trade deadline, then signed him in the offseason to a four-year extension with a base value of nearly $87MM.
Why would Detroit want to trade Grant? Grant is in the second year of a team friendly contract, in the prime years of his career and is an excellent talent. Isn’t the idea to keep good players, acquire more good players and discard bad players?
good point. Only way they trade Grant is if they get some young solid players and draft picks included for him. They would be in a big rebuild mode so it would be for a boat load of future players.
Detroit already is in a rebuild. Think Grant should be part of the future.
Understand that my opinion maybe is in the minority but think Cade Cunningham is overrated.
@johnm, I am inclined to agree with you regarding Cunningham. I think he’ll be a solid player, but not a generational talent like LeBron. He had a lot of hype heading to the draft and a lot of scouts were drooling at his potential, but some scouts had seen him as someone who is closer to his floor than his ceiling. I think Cunningham will be similar to Fultz, in that he won’t even be a top 5 player from his draft class when all is said and done.
Detroit had taken some nice steps forward, but with Hayes struggling as well, their future doesn’t look as bright right now. I definitely think they should have traded down to get those extra picks.
I don’t recall anyone saying Cunningham was a “generational” talent.
Well, he was a consensus #1 pick in one of the better drafts in recent memory. That’s still pretty good.
The point is, while he was by far the safest bet among the top four, he may end up being just a very good player rather than an elite franchise player. Still TBD, of course.
Typically scouts pointed to other prospects as having the highest ceiling. Cade had the highest floor. CADE HAD THE HIGHEST FLOOR, and he had a good attitude for a rebuilder for a tough-minded fanbase. He was not called a generational talent except for maybe some writers trying to sell vague hype. I recall no “top 5” talk.
Do some research ColoredPaper.
Traded down for… #6+#8? There are players with less PT that followed Cade.
Mind you, Green hasn’t played well either and has been pretty inefficient with his shooting. But Mobley and Barnes looks great. Wagner has looked good, Giddey has shown flashes of being a TD-monster, Sengun looks great in limited minutes, and Duarte has been as advertised.
I guess I was expecting more when Cade was being hyped as a franchise-altering player, but we’ll see if I’m wrong in a few years.
Agree with you. Detroit had to make a choice. Detroit can only draft who is in the draft. Cunningham may turn out to be a good solid player. Cunningham just doesn’t look like a LeBron or Durant. Guess I am just stating the obvious.
@windmill Ok, I stand corrected. The term scouts were using was “franchise player”. Still, my point was that evaluators still saw Cade as the top prospect and many were saying, when Detroit was entertaining thoughts of trading down, that it could be a mistake to trade down because of what Cade could do to the franchise.
@x%sure, I didn’t say scouts were mentioning top 5. I was stating my opinion that I don’t think he’ll be considered a top 5 player from his draft class years from now.
Also want to point out to @x%sure, I generally like reading your comments, but chill. You got too excited with what I wrote that you were too quick to argue and not read that I wrote “I think…” regarding Cade not being a top 5 player from his draft class years from now. Time will tell, but from what I have seen so far this season, lots of other rookies have outplayed him.
Yes, I could have used more chill… apparently you are positioning to opin against the grain in Detroit, by noting the limitations of the shiny new object. Probably brave at this time.
I am bullish on CC not because of homerism but because he twists well and should avoid injuries doing so. Thus he should stay physically fresh and able to finish what he plans to. ( This could be a problem for #2 Jalen Green. #3 Mobley is so tall he does not have to stress his ankles to twist and/or avoid!)
Cade is not really a natural PG type so must learn, which means a slow start. He is big or the job and may never be able to do everything a PG does, but he should drive winning when the game slows down for him and he figures how to use his versatility and attitude. He’s like a Jalen Rose, who moved to the 3 because he was a little slow for the 1… it was a nice recovery for him, and an option for Cade.
That said, I’m not sure why the Pistons are losing so much. It’s like there’s a lack of bad teams doing worse.
Why can’t CC just be a small forward? Ever since forty years ago when Magic played point guard for MSU and the Lakers, people fell in love with idea of a big guy at the point.
I don’t recall anyone calling Cunningham a “generational” talent.
Agree with you. There is a luck factor in the drafts. Not by any means saying that Cunningham isn’t good. Just doesn’t look like a mega star.
Obviously they don’t want to give him his next contract which as the article says will be a huge extension.
So they are selling now while he has a lot of value and as they are in a rebuild they will be trying to get back a package of young players and picks.
Yup. If we were talking about a 4 of 5 year deal maybe he stays, but the fact that we’re already in year 2 of a 3-year deal and the Pistons are still one of the worst teams in the NBA makes trading him a no-brainer.
Getting a package back for a player they signed as a FA is exactly what they should be doing. It was always the plan from the beginning & getting younger players & draft capital is needed when a team is rebuilding!
Sexton, okoro and a 1st
No.
Detroit isn’t going to be good this year or next year. After next season Grant could leave. Has more value this year vs next year, when he only has a year left on contract. Pistons need to trade him for a pick or young player that was selected in the first round.
I think best fit would be in Dallas where he could be the 2nd (when KP is hurt) primary scorer.
Knicks get Reggie Bullock
Mavericks get kemba walker and grant
Pistons get Josh Green and mavs 2023 1st from Knicks
I really like the idea of Grant on the Mavs, but Josh green and that pick isn’t enough at all.
Not everyone has to be the same age. Their GM has already expressed this and favored an age mix.
Knicks make a ton of sense.
Have a bunch of young players up for grabs and contracts they could offer to salary match.
They are also off to a unimpressive start this year 12-15 which has then placed 12th in the east.
They kinda need to make a play for an upgrade otherwise at this stage will miss the playoffs.
Kemba Walker/Alex Burks, Obi Toppin, Kevin Knox and a first round pick for Grant.
Pistons are after two things young players and picks. This gives them both of them. On the court they have said to want additional big men because of a lack of depth and want more shooting aswell. Toppin gives them another big and Burks/Walker provide he shooting.
Knox is just there as a possible sweetener and to match salary. He’s still a former top 10 pick and the Pistons may try to revive his career. Hes only just 22 which is the same age as Luke Garza who they just drafted.
For the Knicks Grant is a big addition and they don’t give up any of their main pieces.
It does make them light at the 3/4 spot however, while opening up 2 extra roster positions. I’d then suggest bringing in JaKarr Sampson and Glen Robinson. Sampson is a solid defender and isn’t as terrible shooting as a MKG or RHJ. Robinson is more of a shooter that can defend. Both would do well under Thibs
Interesting idea
There is Zero chance they take the suggested Knicks deal. If that is all that is available, they will stand pat. I’m sure there are better deals to be had.
Obi would be a really solid fit with Cade Bey and Stewart. Kemba/Burks help them on the court with vet leadership and shooting. Plus take a flyer on Knox and get a first round pick.
It’s really not that bad a package.
They could aim higher or look elsewhere but whatever they get back it’ll be a similar package. Young players, vet contract and a pick or two. There’s absolutely zero chance they get back an all star, and if they want a better young player they will have a hard time trying to find a team willing to give up someone they believe could be their future.
Depends on Obi’s competence on defense. Some nights he still looks really bad out there.
If the Pistons aren’t too concerned with that or think his offense is good enough to significantly outweigh that negative aspect of his game, maybe they bite. Otherwise, I don’t see them giving this serious thought.
Personally, I didn’t like the Obi pick then and I certainly don’t like it now so I wouldn’t do this if I were the Pistons.
Mitch, Obi1, Quickly and Detroit’s 2nd rd pick(we give it back).
Would love to have Grant.
I will take it.
That would be a huge return for Detroit
Thibs rotation will be cut to 6 players then … Knicks need to get rid of Kemba dead Money in this deal and and try to keep iQ.
Grant said he signed with DET because they had a black coach and a black GM and he was invested in their system. Trading him would look baaaaaad and well, uh, he’s really good.
Sure, why not
There will always be a market for Grant because he’s an elite defender, who, at his best, can guard 1-5. Still, he’s still a high end role player, with a quasi-star’s salary and expectations. Any expansion of his offensive game has been accomplished with a level of inefficiency that would preclude the same role with a good team. Teams trying to trade for the OKC/DEN version of the guy might find the biggest problem will be aligning his (current) expectations with the role they envision for him. He plays best a year and half rental for a contender.