On December 15th, the NBA trade market could begin to heat up. That is the day that a large number of players who signed new contracts in the offseason become eligible to be traded. As a result, we could start seeing some movement from teams looking to shake up their rosters.
Right now, the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons are the only teams in the NBA more than four games out of a play-in spot. Both teams are already 8.5 games behind the 10th place Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference and could be looking at some changes in the coming weeks.
For the Pistons, their biggest trade chip is Jerami Grant. Grant has proven that he can be a go-to scorer after being an elite role player with the Denver Nuggets for a few seasons.
The Detroit Pistons love him and he loves Detroit, but for the long-term betterment of the organization, it may be best to trade him now as they are not close to contending.
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Should Grant be put on the trade block, he would generate a ton of interest. Contending teams would love to have him, knowing that he can carry the load should something happen to their top guns, but his skill set also allows him to fit any need that a team may have.
Right now, there are two teams to keep an eye on according to The Athletic when it comes to a potential Grant trade. The Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers.
“Jerami Grant is one of the most sought-after players in a potential trade, with the Lakers and Trail Blazers among the teams pursuing the Pistons’ versatile forward, sources said.”
The Los Angeles Lakers are going to be considered contenders as long as LeBron James is healthy. They are starting to play better recently after Russell Westbrook got off to a slow start. Getting Anthony Davis out of his funk will be imperative to the team finding success in the postseason. Adding Grant to that mix would help alleviate some of the concerns the team has had.
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The Portland Trail Blazers have been seeking an upgrade on the wing for years. Grant would be a perfect addition given his two-way play. He would provide the team with someone that can take pressure off of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum offensively while providing the team with an ace defensively.
Unfortunately, Grant is set to miss at least the next six weeks of action because of torn ligaments in his right thumb. That could throw a wrench in the team’s trade negotiations involving him as he may not get back on the court until February.
That would be cutting things dangerously close to the trade deadline which is set for February 10th, 2022.
