Tag: jerami grant

Pistons trade Jerami Grant to Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers yesterday acquired forward Jerami Grant and the draft rights to Ismael Kamagate in a trade with the Detroit Pistons for the draft rights to Gabriele Procida, a 2025 first-round draft pick (via Milwaukee), a 2025 second-round draft pick and a 2026 second-round draft pick.

“Jerami Grant is a dynamic two-way forward that can impact winning at a high level,” said Trail Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin. “He fits seamlessly into Coach Billups’ system on both sides of the ball. We could not be happier to have him in Portland.”

Grant, 28, averaged 19.2 points (42.6% FG, 35.8% 3-PT, 83.8% FT), 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.94 steals and 1.04 blocks in 47 games (all starts) for the Pistons during the 2021-22 season. A Gold Medalist with Team USA at the 2021 Olympics, Grant has made the NBA playoffs four times, posting averages of 10.5 points (45.6% FG, 34.1% 3-PT, 80.0% FT), 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 35 games (21 starts).

An eight-year NBA veteran, Grant (6-8, 210) holds career averages of 11.4 points (45.2% FG, 34.9% 3-PT, 72.3% FT), 3.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.63 steals and 1.11 blocks in 555 games (270 starts) with Detroit, Denver, Oklahoma City and Philadelphia. He was originally selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 39th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft. Grant, a Portland native, is the son of 13-year NBA veteran Harvey Grant, who played three seasons for the Trail Blazers from 1993-1996.

Pistons reportedly trading Jerami Grant to Trail Blazers

The Detroit Pistons are fully rebuilding, while the Portland Trail Blazers look to remain competitive. Via the Detroit News:

The Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night made a big move to position themselves for the offseason, trading leading scorer Jerami Grant to the Portland Trail Blazers for a 2025 first-round draft pick and additional second-round picks, a league source confirmed to The Detroit News.

Enjoy Thursday’s NBA draft.

Will the Pistons trade Jerami Grant?

Will the Pistons trade forward Jerami Grant? Here’s the Detroit Free Press on it:

The NBA trade deadline is nearly two weeks away and the rumor mill ahead of Feb. 10 is heating up. (Ah, if only it could thaw the winter freeze here in Michigan…)

The prevailing theory is the Pistons might accept a young player and first-round pick for Grant, but will anyone meet that requirement? How flexible are the Pistons with their price? And how flexible is Grant in taking a lesser role on a better team? So far, reports are that’s not what he wants, which would dwindle his market and hurt the Pistons’ leverage…

In a bold move, Grant and his representatives have reportedly shown the Pistons a list of teams he would prefer to be traded to if dealt. He will be eligible for a contract extension this summer and can get up to $112 million over four years — $28 million per year. He signed a three-year deal worth $60 million with the Pistons in 2020.

The Pistons are 11-35 this season and in a rebuilding situation. Whatever moves they make are with the future, not present, in mind.

Julius Randle wins 2020-21 NBA Most Improved Player award

New York Knicks forward Julius Randle has been named the 2020-21 NBA Most Improved Player.

A first-time NBA All-Star selection in his seventh season, Randle becomes the first player to win the NBA Most Improved Player Award with New York. The annual award, which was first presented in the 1985-86 season, is designed to honor an up-and-coming player who has made a dramatic improvement from the previous season or seasons.

Randle received 98 first-place votes and earned 493 total points from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters.

Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant received the other two first-place votes and finished in second place with 140 points. Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. finished in third place with 138 points. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.

In his second season with the Knicks, Randle averaged 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists in an NBA-high 37.6 minutes in 71 games. He set career highs for averages in points and assists and matched his career high in rebounds, ranking in the top 20 in the NBA in all three categories. The 6-9 Randle is the sixth player in NBA history to average at least 24.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in a season, joining Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Nikola Jokić (who also did it this season), Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook.

Randle made a career-high 160 three-pointers in 2020-21, eight fewer than his total for the previous five seasons combined (168). He shot 40.1 percent from three-point range, well above his career mark of 29.5 percent entering the season. Randle also shot a career-high 81.1 percent from the free throw line.

Selected as a reserve for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, Randle tied for eighth in the league in double-doubles with 41 and tied for seventh in triple-doubles with six. Randle was named the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for April and the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for Week 17.

Behind Randle, the Knicks (41-31) finish tied for the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference. New York made the NBA Playoffs for the first time since the 2012-13 season.

Randle, 26, signed with the Knicks as a free agent on July 9, 2019. Before joining New York, he played his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and one season with the New Orleans Pelicans. Randle entered this season with career averages of 16.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

On the rebuilding Pistons

The Pistons aren’t going to win the NBA championship this year. Beyond that, there are plenty of unknowns going forward. Via the Detroit News:

The Pistons are 13-33 and the rebuilding season keeps slogging on. There are questions about where the team is going, but for the first time in a long time, there’s a very clear path forward, and several young players to be excited about.

Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Saben Lee all look to be keepers, and the only remaining question about last year’s draft was the No. 7 pick, Killian Hayes. While there have been plenty of questions about the rest of the roster, the most interesting position has been point guard, because Delon Wright had been the starter for most of the season and he was traded to the Sacramento Kings last week.

It begs the question about what the Pistons’ future will be with a draft that many experts consider to be deep on talent, especially in the top five, where the Pistons appear to be headed. What does that mean for the core that they’ve already established?

The best Pistons player this season has been new addition Jerami Grant, who in 35.1 minutes per game is averaging 22.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists, shooting 42.4%. He’s a talented player, but not a superstar, and shouldn’t be expected to carry a squad by himself. The question is, who he’ll be playing alongside in Detroit next season and beyond.

Pistons hoping for better frontcourt production Sunday vs. Knicks

The Knicks beat the Pistons yesterday on Day 1 of NBA preseason. The two teams have a rematch tomorrow. Via the Detroit News:

The rematch will feature some adjustments from Friday’s Knicks win, as the Pistons committed 22 turnovers and shot just 32.5% from the field and 26% on 3-pointers. In a typical season, coaches would move on to the next opponent, but one of the benefits of the new setup is that they can make adjustments and try them out on the same opponent without having to wait as long…

Another concern was the lack of production from Jerami Grant (1-for-11 from the field) and Blake Griffin (3-of-11), and the two combined to go 2-of-12 from beyond the arc. Grant settled for some long jump shots, which Casey’s offensive philosophy tries to limit.

There are plenty of players of interest in this game, but the ones at the top of our list are Griffin, Grant, Pistons rookie Killian Hayes, and Knicks rookie Obi Toppin.

Jerami Grant leaving Nuggets as free agent to join Pistons

Forward Jerami Grant will reportedly be leaving the Nuggets as a free agent to join the Pistons. Via the Detroit News:

At 6-foot-8, Grant has the versatility to play either forward spot and looks to be the starting small forward alongside Blake Griffin. He’s expanded his 3-point production to about 39% in each of his last two seasons and he brings a defensive presence to guard either forward spot. Grant carved out a nice niche for himself with the Denver Nuggets, who made the same offer of three years and $60 million, but Grant opted for the Pistons in order to have an expanded role on offense. It’s the biggest financial commitment the Pistons made in free agency and they got a solid player who can be insurance in case Griffin is injured again.

One of the big questions is why the Pistons didn’t commit the same money to Christian Wood, who reached a deal with the Houston Rockets for three years and $41 million. One read on that is that Grant is a more proven commodity in his six seasons and although Grant’s numbers haven’t been as solid as Wood’s were last year in a smaller sample size, the Pistons were more comfortable spending that money on Grant’s potential in their building plan.

Some Nuggets 2020 NBA draft thoughts

The 2020 NBA draft is just 15 days away. Here’s the Denver Post with some thoughts:

After what Jamal Murray just did in Orlando, point guard is about the last place the Nuggets need to upgrade in this month’s draft.

Murray’s rise coupled with Monte Morris’ steady play as a backup gives Denver a backcourt tandem that only a handful of teams can rival. But this year’s draft process, the most prolonged in NBA history, could be wonky. It’s been months since teams were able to see live competition from prospects, and in-person evaluations have been limited.

Not to mention, the Nuggets could throw potential need right out the window with the No. 22 pick on Nov. 18. If an elite point guard somehow slipped to their range, the Nuggets aren’t above drafting talent and then sorting out the rest later. In fact, there’s an argument to be made that talent should be prioritized over fit if Denver stays at No. 22.

As for Nuggets free agency, the team’s key guards are all signed at least through next season. Same with star center Nikola Jokic. But forward Jerami Grant has the option to enter free agency, while the contracts of Paul Millsap and Mason Plumlee are up.

Considering the Nuggets’ spot in the first round, they’re more likely to land a good backup guard in the draft than a starting forward. Those frontcourt holes will likely need to be filled in free agency.

Heat reportedly may pursue Jerami Grant this offseason

A role player who will likely receive increased attention in free agency this NBA offseason is Nuggets forward Jerami Grant. Here’s the Miami Herald reporting that the Heat may choose to pursue him:

Add Jerami Grant to the list of players expected to interest the Heat this offseason. Grant is expected to opt out of his $9.3 million player option with Denver, but it would be a coup if Miami could land him with its $9.3 million mid-level exception.

Grant, a 6-8 swing forward, averaged 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 26 minutes and shot 38.9 percent on threes in 71 regular season games, including 24 starts. He averaged 11.6 points during Denver’s postseason run, starting 16 games and coming off the bench in three others.

Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix reportedly are expected to have interest.

Grant is 26 years old, so this is a pivotal time in his career as he continues to grow as a player were he to change teams and enter a new situation.

Will Suns target Fred VanVleet, Jerami Grant in free agency?

The Suns failed to make the playoffs this season, but won all eight of their games in the Disney NBA bubble, have a talented young core, and have every reason to be excited for next year’s prospects. Here’s the Arizona Republic mentioning two players they might want to consider targeting in free agency this offseason:

Around $20 million a year.

That’s what the Toronto Raptors could pay point guard Fred VanVleet to stay in O Canada and still have a “maximum salary slot for 2021,” the Toronto Star wrote last month.

Up to $16 million a year.

That’s how much Denver Nuggets power forward Jerami Grant could command as he can opt out of his contract, The Denver Post reported last week.

Phoenix is reportedly interested in both, but probably couldn’t land the two even if they made major moves starting with trading Kelly Oubre Jr.

And some more on VanVleet:

Talent should translate, but you’re asking someone who can be a starting point guard for several teams, including the one he’s on, to play behind veteran Ricky Rubio.

Could see VanVleet finishing games, though. He’d allow Booker to play off the ball and make teams pay for doubling Booker.

Wonder if Rubio would be willing to come off the bench?

Suns free agents this offseason include Aron Baynes and Dario Saric. When healthy, Baynes definitely helped. He’ll turn 34 years old this December, so if he does return it would likely be on a short-term contract.

The rest of the core roster — Booker, Rubio, Kelly Oubre, Deandre Ayton and friends — will be back.

The team is on the rise.