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Detroit Pistons Acquire Jerami Grant in Sign-And-Trade Deal

On November 22nd, 2020, the Denver Nuggets signed-and-traded forward Jerami Grant and traded the draft rights of Nikola Radičević to the Detroit Pistons for cash considerations. Denver also received a trade exception.

After a second round loss in the 2019 NBA playoffs, the Denver Nuggets knew they needed some athleticism and length on the wing to become a legitimate contender.

A 6-foot-8 wing with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Jerami Grant was an optimal fit. His ability to guard multiple positions while developing a respectable perimeter shot made him the perfect complement.

To acquire Grant, the Nuggets dealt a 2020 first round pick and fit Grant into a trade exception created from a previous trade involving Wilson Chandler. The deal involved no other players, meaning Grant was set to join an intact nucleus.

With rising expectations for the 2019-20 season, the Nuggets lived up to the hype early on, beginning the year with a 13-3 record. Though the team suffered some losses, by the end of Christmas day it was second in the West with a 21-9 record.

Denver would cool down slightly, but was still third in the West after 65 games with a 43-22 mark. At this point, the NBA season was paused for nearly five months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the NBA season resumed in the summer with an Orlando, Florida-based bubble format, Denver was 3-5 in eight regular season bubble games to finish out the regular season with a 46-27 record. It was good for third in the West.

Grant joined a crowded frontcourt and played most of the 2019-20 season as a reserve for Denver but filled in at times as a starter at both forward positions. He appeared in 71 games (24 starts) and managed 12.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.7 SPG and 0.8 BPG in 26.6 MPG.

In the opening round, the Nuggets faced a Utah Jazz led by the scoring star Donovan Mitchell and defensive stalwart Rudy Gobert.

Mitchell dueled with Jokić and Jamal Murray down the stretch of the opener which went into overtime. Mitchell scored 57 points and had 26 of his team’s final 32 points in the final 11:29 of action.

Murray and Jokić combined for 65 points and had 30 of Denver’s final 37 points in a 135-125 Nuggets overtime win. In Game Two, the Jazz responded well, building a 31-point edge in a 124-105 win. The third game continued the Jazz offensive onslaught as they took the game by 37 points.

With Denver struggling defensively, head coach Michael Malone made the decision to insert the defensive-minded Grant and guard Monte Morris into the starting lineup over rookie Michael Porter Jr. and Torrey Craig.

The move seemed to pay off as Denver was much closer in Game Four. Mitchell had 51 points and Murray recorded 50 in a back and forth matchup. Mitchell had 18 points in the fourth quarter as Utah held off Denver to win 129-127.

Facing elimination, Denver tried to get back in the series. Utah led by as much as 12 with 3:35 left in the third quarter, but the Nuggets outscored Utah 45-23 over the last 15-plus minutes to stave off elimination with a 117-107 victory.

Murray was spectacular in Game Six, helping the Nuggets pull away late, scoring 18 points in the fourth quarter and 50 overall as Denver forced a seventh and final contest with a 119-107 win.

The series decider was close. Unlike the first six games, both Denver and Utah failed to reach 100 points and shot under 40%. Jokić gave the Nuggets an 80-78 lead with 27 seconds left after a hook shot.

On Utah’s final possessions, Mitchell turned the ball over with eight seconds left and after the Nuggets missed a layup Mike Conley missed a three at the buzzer that would have given Utah the series. The Nuggets took the first round matchup 4-3.

In the opening round, Grant appeared in all seven games and amassed 11.3 PPG on 41.7% from the field, 3.4 RPG, 1.4 APG and 1.0 BPG in 34.1 MPG.

The Nuggets advanced to a next round duel with the Los Angeles Clippers. Los Angeles went on a key 49-24 run from the first to third quarter to easily take the series opener 120-97.

Denver built a 44-25 first quarter lead in Game Two and led by 19 points early in the third quarter. Los Angeles made a run and cut the deficit to five points. Jokić (26 points and 18 rebounds) and Gary Harris combined for three buckets to allow the Nuggets to regain control and they took the contest 110-101 and tied the series 1-1.

In the third game, Paul George had 32 points for the Clippers and his team outscored the Nuggets 29-19 in the fourth quarter. The Clippers won the game 113-107. Los Angeles took an 18-point lead in Game Four before the Nuggets went on a run and tied the game at 48 early in the second half. A 21-5 run by the Clippers led to a 96-85 team win and a 3-1 series lead for Los Angeles.

Facing the 3-1 series deficit for the second consecutive series. Denver trailed by 16 points in the first half of Game Five. Nuggets veteran Paul Millsap led a run in the third quarter with 14 individual points. Murray scored 26 points in a 111-105 comeback victory making the series 3-2. In the sixth contest, Los Angeles led by 16 points at halftime. Denver dominated the second half 64-35 and had a key 30-8 run in a 111-98 win.

Game Seven saw Los Angeles build a 12-point advantage in the first half but the game momentum quickly switched again. Murray dropped 40 points and Jokić put up a triple double as Denver outscored the Clippers 50-33 in the second half. The Nuggets completed the 3-1 series comeback with a 104-89 victory.

The second round saw Grant struggle on offense, recording 9.0 PPG on 34.5% from the field and 25.7% from the three-point line), 3.0 RPG, 1.1 APG and 1.0 BPG in seven games. He did provide solid defense, guarding both Leonard and George more than any Nugget throughout the series.

The Nuggets made it to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 11 years and matched up the Los Angeles Lakers and the superstar tandem of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

In the opener, Davis starred with 37 points and 10 rebounds and the Lakers outscored the Nuggets 67-41 in the second and third quarters as they easily won 126-114.

Game Two looked like it was headed in a similar direction. Los Angeles built a 10-point edge at halftime. However, Denver managed to stay within arms reach. Late in the action, Jokić converted a hook shot with 20.8 seconds left, giving Denver a 103-102 lead.

The Lakers missed their next two shots but managed to regain possession after both misses. With 2.1 seconds left, Davis broke free after a defensive switching mixup involving Grant and Mason Plumlee and nailed a fadeaway three at the buzzer off an inbounds play to win Game Two 105-103.

Jokić and Murray scored a ton for Denver in the first two games but hadn’t received much help from a third scorer. In Game Three, the Nuggets had control for much of the game. Jokić and Murray combined for 50 points, but a major key was Grant who had several drives and managed to get to the foul line to score a playoff career-high 26 points. Denver managed to make the series 2-1 with a 114-106 win.

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In Game Four, Davis and James put up a combined 60 points and the Lakers dominated the paint with a 25-6 advantage in second chance points in a 114-108 Lakers victory.

Los Angeles built a 15-point lead in the third quarter of Game Five. Grant led a comeback as Denver managed to tie, but James (38 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists) wouldn’t allow another comeback as he scored 16 points in the final frame to give the Lakers the 117-107 win and the 4-1 series victory. Grant had 20 points in the loss.

For the Conference Finals, Grant put up 15.8 PPG on 45.6% from the field and 30.8% from the three-point line), 3.6 RPG, 1.4 APG and 1.2 SPG in five games.

Though his perimeter shooting could be spotty at times, Grant’s performance in Denver’s magical playoff run was impressive and helped his case for a significant payday in free agency.

Grant often guarded the opponent’s best offensive option in every series. This included the likes of Donovan Mitchell, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and LeBron James. And he had some big performances offensively as well.

There were signs of concern however. Grant’s on-off numbers were usually in the negative all season despite Denver’s overall positive performance. During the regular season, the Nuggets were outscored by 2.2 points per 100 possessions in the 1,892 minutes Grant was on the floor. The team was plus-7.4 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor.

Grant’s numbers on the floor with Jokić also were negative which stood out considering how veteran Paul Millsap’s net rating with Jokić was positive. There was some noise in the numbers such as Millsap playing mostly with the starters.

After the season, Grant opted out of the $9.3 million final year of his contract and became a free agent. Though Denver offered him a three-year, $60 million deal, he opted to take the same exact figure deal with the Detroit Pistons. The move was a surprise considering Denver’s recent Western Conference Finals finish and the surplus of talent the roster had compared to Detroit’s status as a rebuilding team.

In an effort to recoup something for Grant, the Nuggets signed and traded him to the Pistons along with the draft rights to a 2015 second round pick Nikola Radičević. A 6-foot-6 guard, Radičević played professionaly in Spain, Serbia and Italy and had never come over to the NBA, though he played for the Nuggets in 2017 Summer League.

Grant wanted a much more featured role as a featured scorer and leader, something the Pistons could offer him. Other key factors mentioned were the fact that the team’s head coach and lead front office decision maker were Black men and Detroit’s place as the Blackest major city in America.

The Grant move created a $9.5 million trade exception for the Nuggets. Denver later used $4.2 million of that exception to acquire JaVale McGee in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers at the 2021 trade deadline. The deal left the club with a $5.3 million trade exception which expired in August of 2021.

Grant joined a Pistons team lacking direction. The team’s new general manager Troy Weaver was heavily ridiculed for a seeming obsessive pursuit of centers. The team drafted center Isaiah Stewart in the first round and also signed centers Mason Plumlee and Jahlil Okafor in free agency. The team also traded for centers Dewayne Dedmon and Tony Bradley.

Dedmon and Bradley were quickly removed via release and trade respectively, but the pile of pivots arriving to Detroit’s roster was remarkable.

Grant started at the small forward position and was a pleasant surprise for the Pistons. He had just nine points in his 2020-21 team debut but proceeded to record at least 20 points in 14 straight games.

In that stretch, Grant produced 26.3 PPG on 46.6% from the field and 40.6% from the three-point line drawing early All-Star and Most Improved Player consideration.

Grant’s performance also highlighted his decision to step into a larger role which drew skepticism around the league since he had never been more than a 3-and-D contributor, meaning he played defense and primarily operated in the offense as a finisher rather than a shot creator or passer.

Grant cooled down, but continued throughout the season to have large moments such as a 43-point explosion against the Chicago Bulls in February.

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Late in the season, Grant missed nine out of the last 10 games due to right knee soreness. The forward ended the 20-21 season with 22.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 0.6 SPG and 1.1 BPG in 54 games and 33.9 MPG.

During the season, Detroit was one of the worst teams in the NBA. With former All-Star Blake Griffin having all of his talents sapped from a laundry list of injuries, there was an opportunity for Grant to step up but at the same time was a reason for concern in how the Pistons would fare during the 2020-21 season.

The Pistons began the year 1-7 and continued to lose. As the season wore on, veterans Derrick Rose and Griffin were traded and bought out respectively leaving the Pistons as one of the younger rosters in the NBA. Just 26th in offensive efficiency, Detroit finished the year with the second worst record in the NBA with a 20-52 record.

One of the surprises of the NBA season, Grant finished second in voting for Most Improved Player of the Year voting behind New York Knicks forward Julius Randle.

After Detroit’s miserable regular season, the team ended up winning the draft lottery and selected highly touted prospect Cade Cunningham with the first overall pick.

With Cunningham in the fold and the previous draft class of Killian Hayes, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart all on the roster, Detroit was officially in its rebuild. At 27, Grant was a wise sage of the roster.

Detroit began the 2021-22 season 1-8. The losses continued to pile up as the team was 4-24 after 28 games.

Grant’s efficiency numbers took a dive early on and after playing in 24 of the first 25 games, he missed 25 games from December into February after undergoing surgery to repair a UCL sprain in his right thumb.

By the time he returned, the Pistons were 12-37 and on their way to another lottery pick. Near the trade deadline, Grant was one of the hottest names on the trade market.

With just one year remaining on the three-year deal, there was concern for the Pistons on if they would be able to retain Grant at an ideal price. Teams like the Portland Trailblazers, Brooklyn Nets, Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards were reported to have interest but nothing came of the rumors.

Grant finished out his second season in Detroit, participating in 47 games (all starts) and posting 19.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.9 SPG and 0.8 BPG in 31.9 MPG.

Shortly before the 2022 draft, the Pistons finally dealt Grant with one year left on his contract. They moved the forward to the Portland Trailblazers with the number 46 overall pick in the draft for a protected 2025 first round pick from the Milwaukee Bucks and three second round picks including the number 36 pick from the 2022 draft.

Though Grant and the Pistons failed to string together many wins in two years, Grant’s evolution into a decent primary scoring option was a revelation. In 101 games, the forward averaged 20.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.6 APG, 0.8 SPG and 1.1 BPG. Grant shot 43% from the field, 35% from the three-point line and 84% from the free-throw line.

Though Grant did trade in some efficiency in his offensive evolution, there was proof that he could be a featured scorer in an offense rather than a background player who fills in the gaps off the ball.

Soon after the Grant trade, the Pistons dealt Nikola Radičević’s draft rights to the New York Knicks in a deal that saw them acquire Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and two future second round picks.

Jerami Grant on the decision to choose Detroit over Denver (via Detroit Free Press):

“It was tough. I was in a situation where I was comfortable. I loved my teammates, I loved the organization. It was a lot of things that made me teeter between my decision. But at the end of the day, I made the best decision for me and my career. My growth as a player is extremely important to me. It was a challenge, the challenge intrigued me. I made my decision and I’m happy with it.”

How a previous relationship with Troy Weaver impacted his decision (via The Denver Post):

“We go way back. It impacted it a lot. Just our relationship. It’s definitely a trust thing there. I trust him, he trusts me. It played a big impact on my decision.”

How he’s accepting the challenge of a larger role:

“It was the belief that Troy had in me, and the belief I had in myself. I knew this would be a challenge, and I’m open to challenges. It definitely wasn’t a no-brainer. Definitely was a tough decision for me.”

Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver on Jerami Grant (via Detroit Free Press):

“Jerami was number one on the list to go after. His versatility, his growing, budding offense, but more importantly, what he brings everyday to the Pistons. He’s a guy who works hard, he’s professional, he’s a great teammate. All the things we embody.”

How he’s improved his skills on the court:

“Jerami has really worked on his game, become an outstanding 3-point shooter. There’s more there. He’s come here because it’s a big challenge. I’m going to challenge him to become the best Jerami he can become. I expect him to continue to grow. I don’t campaign for players but I’ll say this right now — this guy is worthy of being an all-defensive player, for sure.

“The defensive mindset, who he is, the offense that people were able to see blossom in the bubble, which he brings to us here in Detroit now, along with his youth, he’s 26 years old. Just hitting his prime. We’re excited about everything he brings to the table as a young man and as a player.”

Denver Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly on Grant’s decision to choose Detroit over the Nuggets (via The Denver Post):

“Jerami’s a great guy and a really good player. He earned the right to be in unrestricted free agency. The whole time we were very encouraged. We were under the assumption we would get something done. Jerami, he wanted a new opportunity, a new challenge. He’s going to do great in Detroit.

“Detroit did a great job targeting him and recruiting him. Certainly was a bit surprising and disappointing, but we thank Jerami for all he did in the year here.”

Image via AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

#Jerami Grant #Pistons #Nuggets #2020 #2020*21 Season #Nikola Radicevic

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