“The teams most likely to want to meet that price are the elite contenders” - John Hollinger believes that Jerami Grant’s desire for a major offensive role could harm his trade chances
Detroit Pistons' Jerami Grant has been mentioned in several trade rumors, and there is a chance he might be leaving the organization soon. With the February 10 trade deadline a week away, teams have reportedly indicated an interest in acquiring his services.
One such team he has been heavily linked to is the LA Lakers, who are struggling to get into any consistent rhythm offensively. It was also reported that the New York Knicks are keen on trading for the 27-year-old.
The Athletics' James L. Edwards III was joined by John Hollinger to discuss what moves the Pistons might make heading into the trade deadline. James talked about how he is not 100% convinced that Grant would be traded by the deadline despite chatter around the league, and Hollinger agreed with him.
"I’m not 100 percent convinced either. While it’s logical for Detroit to cash in its Grant stock, he’s also the biggest win of the current front office and young enough that they could keep him around a while longer."
"More importantly, it takes two to tango. Somebody has to want Grant enough to meet Detroit’s price, whatever that is. Here’s the thing: The teams most likely to want to meet that price are the elite contenders who are one piece away from the title. And those same teams are likely the ones who are most nervous about Grant’s desire for a major offensive role. Golden State isn’t trading for him so he can run 20 isos a game, let’s put it that way. Even if he accepts a smaller role in the short term, it sets up the question of whether he’d be a flight risk in 2023."
"As a result, he might be least valuable to the teams who otherwise would consider giving up the most for him. I see that as the biggest roadblock to a potential trade."
The Pistons know how valuable Jerami Grant is, which might make their asking price a bit more than what most elite teams might be willing to give up. Nonetheless, his continued stay with the franchise would not be a terrible idea as he could be a key player in their rebuild.
Jerami Grant has played in only 29 games this season
Jerami Grant missed the Pistons' third game of the season but was available from then on until December 12. He hurt his thumb in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans and has since been in recovery after undergoing surgery.
Even though he was unavailable for over six weeks, the interest rate was still sky-high. He has been dependable for the Pistons and had one of his best games against the Lakers.
Grant made his return last time out against the Pelicans, and registered 17 points in 29 minutes. The forward is averaging 20.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 41.5% from the field.