Where there's smoke, there's typically fire. And the trade rumors surrounding Jerami Grant have been smoldering for several months.
With the NBA Draft next Thursday, Troy Weaver and the Pistons could be poised to deal the 28-year-old forward once and for all.
Grant is 'widely expected to be on the move this summer,' ESPN's Jonathan Givony wrote in a mock draft published Wednesday, 'as he's entering the final year of his contract and doesn't look to be on the same timetable as the rest of the Pistons' roster.'
This has been the case for a while. Not only is Grant entering the final season of his three-year, $60 million deal, but he's eligible for a four-year, $112 million
extension this summer. That's probably not the kind of investment Weaver wants to make in a veteran who's several years older than the core players of the Pistons' rebuild.
Which is why the Pistons took calls on Grant at the trade deadline this season, and why they're prepared to do so again in approach of the draft. If a team like the Trail Blazers, who have been frequently linked to Grant in recent months, offers their lottery pick, it's hard to envision the Pistons saying no.
Remember, Weaver said there was "a tremendous amount of interest in" Grant at the deadline -- "teams just didn’t have enough to get him." That could certainly change in the next week. If it doesn't, the Pistons could just as soon keep Grant around.
"We love having Jerami in a Detroit uniform," Weaver said in April when asked about the prospect of trading Grant this summer. "He’s been a tremendous player for us and we’d be very comfortable moving forward with him. We’ll vet out everything, see what comes about."
Grant averaged 19.2 points and 4.1 rebounds in 47 games last season while shooting about 36 percent from three.
In the same mock draft, Givony projected the Pistons will select Iowa wing Keegan Murray with the fifth overall pick after Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero and Jaden Ivey go Nos. 1 through 4. He says Murray's fit "looks strong" with the Pistons, especially with Grant's potential departure.
Listen live to 97.1 The Ticket via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker