Versatile forward Jerami Grant leaves the Denver Nuggets after just one season.
The Denver Nuggets, hopeful that they would be able to re-sign 26-year-old forward Jerami Grant, experienced their first major disappointment this offseason.
According to The Athletic and Stadium’s Shams Charania, Grant agreed to a three-year, $60 million with the Detroit Pistons.
Denver was willing to match the three-year, $60M offer Jerami Grant received from Detroit. Grant enjoyed his time in Denver, but leaves for Pistons where he is expected to have an enhanced offensive role. https://t.co/qdiIhku6gb
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 21, 2020
Although the Nuggets were willing to match the offer, Grant opted to sign with the Pistons in anticipation of a larger offensive role than he would have had in Denver.
Per the Denver Post’s Mike Singer:
"In Denver, Grant wasn’t sure whether he could maximize his potential."
Grant is the second free agent that the Nuggets have lost to Detroit, as center Mason Plumlee signed a three-year contract with the Pistons as well.
However, losing Grant is a much bigger blow than Plumlee.
Denver began to rely on Grant defensively in the NBA bubble, as Paul Millsap’s defense declined and with Will Barton nursing a knee injury. Although he wasn’t a lockdown defender, he would guard the better forwards in the league while being athletic enough to step out and guard backcourt players. He was also lanky enough to act as a weakside shot-blocker or a small-ball center, should the Nuggets have opted for that approach.
That said, while many Denver-based outlets made it seem like Grant was all but guaranteed to return, the combination of his youth, length, athleticism and skillset was going to be enticing for teams that had the cap space to make the Nuggets sweat.
In fact, if the Atlanta Hawks hadn’t signed former Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari, they could have had as good as a chance to snatch Grant away as Detroit.
With Grant moving on, there’s an increased likelihood that Denver brings back Millsap. For the Michael Porter Jr. fans out there, Grant’s decision also increases the likelihood that MPJ is a full-time starter in 2020-21.