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The Detroit Pistons have agreed to trade Jerami Grant to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for a 2025 first-round pick (via the Milwaukee Bucks and protected #1-4s) and multiple pick swaps. according to Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Pistons and Blazers in particular swapped second-round picks in this year’s draft. The Pistons are now No. 36 overall, while the Blazers are No. 46 overall. In addition, the Pistons receive a 2025 second-round pick from the Blazers and a 2026 second-round pick (cheapest between the Blazers and the New Orleans Pelicans). Detroit will also get a $21 million trade exemption as part of the deal.
Grant is entering the final year of his contract and was not a long-term piece for Pistons’ rebuild, who will now move forward with Cade Cunningham and $43 million in cap space for free agency. Grant’s move always made sense, but it’s surprising the Pistons couldn’t make a major return. Perhaps they could have come from a desperate contender if they had traded Grant at deadline last season.
However, it’s worth noting that Grant is eligible for an extension this offseason and will be looking for a deal worth up to $112 million over four years. He also wants to be a sought-after offensive player. There were probably only a few teams willing to pay Grant and give him the role he wanted, which could have led to the low commercial value. The Blazers were obviously one of them and have now added a versatile striker to the mix while trying to deal with Damian Lillard.
Let’s evaluate the trade:
Pistons obtained:
- 2022 second round selection over Portland
- 2025 first-round selection via Milwaukee (protected #1-4)
- 2025 second round selection over Portland
- 2026 second-round pick (better pick between Portland and New Orleans)
- $21 million trade exemption
The partnership between Jerami Grant and Detroit Pistons was never long for this world. When Grant signed his three-year, $60 million contract in the summer of 2020, he wanted the opportunity to prove he was more than a defender and flashy 3-point shooter. The Pistons wanted someone who could take offensive responsibility and had backend commercial value.
While the last two seasons haven’t weighed much in terms of wins, the pairing ended up being positive for both parties. Grant showed he could take on a bigger role and earned an even bigger payday in the process. The Pistons got a few extra draft picks for someone who would never be part of their long-term plans.
At first glance, that seems like a small return for Grant, and it’s fair to ask if the Pistons could have gotten more from a desperate contender if they had traded him at last season’s close. Any team that trades for Grant would have to be willing to pay him on his next contract and give him the kind of role he’s been looking for on offense, and the fact that they took that deal is a good one Notice what kind of deals there were out there.
In the end, the Pistons got the first all-rounder they were looking for – despite not being able to use it for three years – a few extra chances in the second round freed up a lot of space for the cap. It’s unclear what they’ll do with that flexibility this summer, but they’re better positioned for a future that should be bright with Cade Cunningham at the helm.
Grade B
Get Trailblazer:
- 2022 second round selection over Detroit
After eight straight games in the playoffs, the Trail Blazers hugged the tank last season following Damian Lillard’s abdominal surgery. Eliminated were CJ McCollum, Larry Nance Jr., Robert Covington and Norman Powell, resulting in a 2-21 near-season and No. 7 overall.
Nobody wants this to be a multi-year rebuild, though, especially with Lillard now on the wrong side of 30. The roster is essentially a blank slate outside of Lillard and some youngsters, and the plan is to build a team that can immediately fight for a playoff spot again.
The first step was to acquire Grant, which Lillard championed, per Wojnarowski. Grant should be a perfect match for a versatile forward who can instantly improve his leaky defense and take some of the offensive responsibility off of Lillard’s shoulders. Having a real goal threat down the wing will be a nice change of pace for the Blazers, who have relied on a small backcourt for so long.
The best thing for the Blazers was that they didn’t have to give up much to get a player who will make their team better. A first-round pick three years from now means a lot more to a rebuilding Pistons team than it does to a Blazers team trying to win now. The picks and swaps in the second round are just like this or something.
Next, the Blazers need to figure out how to add even more talent to the roster. Grant is a great start, but he and Lillard won’t be able to do it alone. To that end, it’s worth noting that the team is dangling choice #7 to try and add a veteran. OG Anunoby is a possible option, after Chris Haynes.
Grade: A-