Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
Spurs Free Agency: What Could Jerami Grant Bring to San Antonio Next Season?
In almost any situation, a 14 percent chance of something happening is almost too low to count on.
For the San Antonio Spurs, that same chance stands as their best shot to land all-time prospect center Victor Wembanyama through the NBA Draft, and arguably become an instant threat in the Western Conference.
The draft lottery sits just eight days away, and could bring San Antonio its first No. 1 overall pick since 1997 brought big man Tim Duncan to the Silver and Black, but what happens if the Spurs don't land Wembanyama?
The short answer would be drafting another prospect like Scoot Henderson, Brandon Miller or Amen Thompson, but the long term answer may not be found in those prospects in the way it could be with the 7-2 French center.
That's where the free agency market comes into play, and one player in particular could be a potential target for coach Gregg Popovich and the Spurs: Jeremi Grant.
Grant is a 10-year veteran coming off of the most productive season of his career with Portland after being traded by the Detroit Pistons for the final year of his three-year deal, and is likely to command more money this offseason as he enters the back-half of his career.
The forward will be an unrestricted free agent, and the Blazers are more-than equipped to land him monetarily, but should Grant fall past Portland, other teams will certainly be vetting the 29-year-old's impact.
So what makes him a good fit for San Antonio?
For starters, Grant's sheer ability to score at will makes him a standout target league-wide. In 63 games played before being shut down by the Blazers' coaching staff, Grant averaged 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 40 percent 3-point shooting, and was all-around explosive for Portland all season.
The Spurs have players like Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and even Jeremy Sochan who have proven their ability to do the same, but with the overall youth that San Antonio has, Grant would become an instant starter and provide veteran leadership for the young locker room.
That's not to say that the move might be puzzling, especially with Sochan being the a core part of the Spurs' rebuild, but with the absence of Wembanyama in this scenario, Grant could provide an opportunity for Sochan to play down low with Zach Collins — Popovich's named starting center for next season.
And if Grant "wants to win," he could be one of the missing pieces needed for Spurs to reach the next level they have been looking for.
"The roster definitely makes a difference," Grant said. "I definitely want to win. ... [But making teammate connections] for me is a huge part of where I want to work, and who I'm [going] to be around all year. I think that's the biggest thing."
Grant went on to say that he values a team's ability to grow on the court, which was the biggest point of emphasis for the Spurs all season long, and while San Antonio may not have the winning roster Grant is looking for currently, playing alongside a roster of players striving to get better absolutely fits the bill for the forward.
If that isn't enough for Grant, the Spurs also provide a past connection that has time and time again proven to be an invaluable one in the NBA — Gregg Popovich.
The Spurs' Hall-of-Fame coach and Grant first worked together during Team USA's most recent outing of the Summer Olympics, where the team went on to win the Olympic gold medal over teams led by other NBA standouts like Luka-Doncic and Rui Hachimura.
And Popovich loved what he saw from Grant.
"I wanted him on the team because of his size and length," Popovich said of Grant. "He [also brings] flexibility and versatility ... and he's a competitor. He's very coachable, aggressive and a good person. He's the right guy to have on a basketball team."
As the Spurs enter free agency, there will be plenty of options available in the market for a change of scenery. Veterans would provide leadership, while younger players looking for "prove-it" deals could be overlooked by teams across the league.
Grant will certainly not be overlooked when it comes to his on-court production, and would bring veteran experience and leadership to San Antonio.
If the Spurs land a buy in from him to become a central piece of their rebuild, he could find his new home quickly with Popovich and the rest of the team.
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