By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Detroit has traded Jerami Grant to Portland for a 2025 first-round pick via Milwaukee, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Per the same report, the 2025 first-round pick of Detroit via Milwaukee is protected if it ends up being between the first and the fourth pick. Detroit sends Grant into a $21M trade exception, and the Pistons now have $43 million in salary-cap space for free agency.
Detroit also swaps 2022 second-round picks getting 36 for 46 with Portland, while Denver gets a 2025 second-round pick back from Portland, and Portland sends the most favorable 2026 second-round pick between Portland and New Orleans to Detroit.
That, however, doesn’t make any less surprising the fact that Detroit practically cleared space by giving up their top scorer and getting only draft picks in return. In theory, Grant should have a bigger trade value. It’s obvious, however, that the Pistons are betting on rookie Cade Cunningham and are expected to try and replace Grant via the upcoming 2022 draft, where they are picking at no.5. Plus they are in the position to make important additions via free agency.
Meanwhile, Portland got a proven scorer to pair with Damian Lillard.