PORTLAND — After the initial shock of the trade wore off, Jerami Grant couldn’t help but feel excited.
Grant was ready for the next step, after establishing himself as one of the NBA’s most promising two-way players during his two seasons with the Detroit Pistons. And Portland appeared to be an ideal landing spot. The Pistons’ leading scorer the past two seasons was given an opportunity to play with one of his closest friends in the NBA, as well as one of the game’s most elite scorers, in Damian Lillard. And the Trail Blazers had immediate plans to win. With Grant in tow this season, the team believed it had enough to compete in the Western Conference.
Monday was Grant’s first game against the Pistons since the trade to Portland last summer for a first-round pick. Six months later, Grant is in the midst of the best season of his career. He’s grateful for his time in Detroit, and how the franchise helped him grow as a player. His 36-point performance, which powered a 135-106 Blazers win, highlighted the extent Grant has improved his game and capitalized on the opportunity the Pistons afforded him when they signed him in 2020.
“Any time you get traded, initially you feel a little weird, because you got traded, right?” Grant said after Monday’s game. “After that wore off, I was excited. Excited about being here and in an organization like this and obviously being able to play with Dame and (Jusuf Nurkic), a bunch of other great players. I was excited and it’s been a great move for my career.”
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Grant was the first marquee signing by new general manager Troy Weaver. The Pistons shocked many around the NBA with a three-year, $60 million contract in November 2020. Grant had only proven himself to be a reliable role player. He had a strong season as a defense-oriented role player with the Denver Nuggets the previous season, but he was the fourth option offensively. It was a gamble for Weaver to pay him like an elite role player, but it paid off.
He had a breakout season during his first year in Detroit, averaging a career-high 22.3 points. Grant wanted to prove he could handle a bigger scoring load and more overall responsibility, and accomplished that goal. The contract proved to be an asset in the end, as the Pistons traded his expiring contract to Portland in a cap-clearing move that paved the way for Detroit to have an active, productive offseason — including trades for Jalen Duren and Bojan Bogdanovic.
Grant and Weaver have deep ties, as Grant is a Syracuse alumnus and Weaver is a former Syracuse assistant coach. They reunited in Oklahoma City from 2016-19 before reuniting once again in Detroit. They exchanged pleasantries before Monday’s game. The Pistons didn’t win much with Grant, but he gave the team a needed go-to option offensively and embraced the city. He’s happy his career took him to Detroit. Grant was often tasked with having to do too much to carry a depleted Pistons roster, but he often thrived despite his tough circumstances. In Portland, his role is more defined and he’s playing the best basketball of his career as a result.
“It was a very important step in my career,” Grant said of signing with the Pistons. “For me, just going there and being able to spread my wings and show people what I can do, not just on the defensive end but on the offensive end, I think it opened a lot of people’s eyes. I’m extremely grateful for Detroit.”
The trade has been a boon for Portland, which improved to 19-17 overall following Monday’s win. Grant is averaging 22 points per game, but on career-best efficiency. He’s shooting 48.4% from the floor and a career-high 43.9% from 3. Grant is third on the team in shot attempts, but his points per game only narrowly trail Anfernee Simons’ 22.4 points. Grant has also been Portland’s best all-around defender.
“Jerami’s changed our team, man,” Blazers head coach, and former Pistons great, Chauncey Billups said before the game. “He’s changed our team. He’s one of the best two-way players in the league, in my opinion. We put him on all the tough matchups. We count on him and depend on him to score for us as well. Y’all have seen him for years and y’all know what he can do and how impactful he is. I think his biggest quality, his best quality for our team is just the person that he is. Who he is in the locker room, his spirit around the team. He’s always smiling. He takes accountability when it’s not even his to take. He’s just that type of leader. He’s changed our team and we’re very happy to have him.”
Grant put together one of his best performances of the season against his former team. His 36 points were a game-high, and he made 12 of his 17 overall shots and five of his eight 3-pointers. He always had a penchant for getting to the line, and he did so on Monday by knocking down seven of nine free throws.
It was a vintage Grant game, as he punished Detroit from all three areas of the floor. Fans may not have needed a reminder of what he can do when he’s feeling it, but they got one all the same. Grant is thriving in Portland, and he has Detroit to thank for that.
Before the game, Dwane Casey was asked if he’d have an easier time game-planning against Grant, due to his familiarity with his game. Casey chuckled, as he knows better than most what Grant is capable of.
“No, not at all,” Casey said. “He has a different colored jersey. It makes it harder.”