Would Jerami Grant’s desired extension be good value for the Pistons?

Jerami Grant and the Pistons could part ways before the trade deadline, but if they don’t, Detroit could consider a long-term extension.

I’ve talked about the pros and cons of signing Grant long-term and I think you can make an argument either way, but when you start looking at the numbers, the debate heats up.

According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, Grant will be looking for a contract extension in the ballpark of 4 years/$112 million, an annual average of $28 million.

Grant is currently on a deal that pays him roughly $20 million, which is considered a value contract (must be nice) for a guy with his production.

Before the Pistons can consider such a thing, they have to get more assurance that he is a fit with Cade Cunningham and that will require Grant to adjust his game when he returns from injury.

My gut tells me that the a Jerami Grant trade is inevitable, but if the Pistons were to keep him, would they be happy with that number?

Would Jerami Grant’s extension be good value for the Detroit Pistons?

Right now, Grant is on one of the better value contracts in the NBA, as there are plenty of guys making more than him who don’t have his kind of impact.

But when you jump up to closer to $30 million a year, we are looking more in the All-Star range and Jerami Grant is not quite there. If the Pistons could ink him to a 4 year/$80 million extension, then I’d say sign it right now, as that is pretty much minimum wage for a good/not great player in the NBA.

I’d be hesitant to go much higher than that, as his next deal will take Grant to age 32, and though he should still be producing, the Pistons will have other guys they’ll need to pay and I’m not sure you can be paying Jerami Grant that much to be your 3rd or 4th-best player.

However, just because the Pistons signed him to that contract, doesn’t mean he’d play it out in Detroit, and it would still be tradable, especially in those first few seasons. Teams need at least one big contract to make a trade for a star, so if the Pistons were to go that route, Grant’s deal would still very much have value.

If the Pistons don’t trade Grant, I do think they’ll make him a modest offer, but I think there’s a number they won’t exceed and that number might be lower than Grant wants, making a trade an almost certainty.