NBA Trade Talk: Can Mavs Meet Pistons Asking Price For Grant?
When the Detroit Pistons signed Jerami Grant to a four-year, $80 million deal back in 2020, the hope from both parties was that he would blossom into a true superstar that could lead his team as the top option. To Grant's credit, he made the leap from being a 12-points-per-game role player with the Denver Nuggets to being a 20-points-per-game go-to guy with the Pistons this last season and a half.
The problem, though, is that despite Grant's increase in production, none of it has translated to Detroit winning many games. The Pistons finished the 2020-2021 season as the worst team in the Eastern Conference, and so far during this 2021-2022 season, they're neck-and-neck with the Orlando Magic for being the worst team in the NBA.
Could the Dallas Mavericks potentially swing a big trade for Grant before the February 10 trade deadline? The stars could be aligning for such a thought to be possible.
With Detroit already having their young superstar of the future in Cade Cunningham and looking like they're well on their way for a chance at another No. 1 overall pick after this season, the rebuilding Pistons could look to trade Grant now while he still has a year after this one left on his contract.
According to Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer, Detroit's asking price for Grant is two first round picks or one first round pick plus a young player with upside. If that is the case, the Mavs are more than capable of meeting that price if they wish to do so.
Here is our proposed deal:
Mavs receive: Jerami Grant
Pistons receive: Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green and a 2027 first round pick
That return appears to check all the boxes of what Detroit is reportedly looking for, right? A young player with upside, a first round pick, and as an added bonus, a veteran shooting guard who the Pistons were rumored to have interest in last offseason.
Given how bad the Pistons have been, despite Grant's numbers, some might balk at the idea of the Mavs giving up a first round pick when the team's draft capital is already limited. However, even if Grant doesn't produce at a superstar-level in Dallas, it would still be an uptick from what the team is currently getting from Hardaway Jr. and Green combined. Grant is well-worth giving up a first round pick for.
The Mavs need a true secondary star next to Luka Doncic, and maybe Grant doesn't quite meet that criteria, but it would at least be a step in the right direction. As much as Dallas loves Hardaway Jr. as a player and as a locker room leader, parting ways with him for Grant would be the right decision, given that both players make nearly the same amount of money per year. Grant would fit right in with Dallas' newfound defensive foundation, and he would likely help improve the offense a good bit as well.
Maybe the Pistons don't feel the same way about Hardaway Jr. as they did last summer, given his subpar shooting numbers this season, but that's where the promise of Green as a rebuilding 22-year-old prospect and first round draft compensation comes into play. Green has shown some really nice flashes of potential this season.
Trying to peg NBA trades before they happen is hard, but this particular trade scenario seems like it would be one of the rare situations that would likely work out well for all parties involved. The Mavs aren't currently connected to Grant in any NBA trade rumors yet, but the natural fit is there, and Dallas is capable of giving Detroit what it reportedly wants.
Stay tuned to DallasBasketball.com for all Mavs-related trade updates.
