Oklahoma City Thunder: Jerami Grant’s season has earned him an extension
After an impressive season as the Oklahoma City Thunder’s starting power forward, Jerami Grant deserves a contract extension to stay with the team long-term.
Shortly after 12 a.m. CT on July 1, 2018, news broke of the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s second free agent signing.
All of the buzz around the NBA community that night centered on Paul George‘s decision to spurn the Los Angeles Lakers and plant his flag in Oklahoma City. However, around half an hour after that news broke, general manager Sam Presti and the Thunder brass locked in their second-most important target: Jerami Grant.
Reports of the agreed-upon deal surfaced quickly — a three-year, $27 million contract with a player option on the last season — and was met with speculation. Now, one year later, Grant appears poised to see an even richer payday.
Jerami Grant played his best year of professional basketball in the 2018-19 season, his first full year as an NBA starter. His growth from the raw athlete the Thunder acquired in a November 2016 trade with the Philadelphia 76ers to one of the most underrated power forwards in the league has been massive.
Arguably, his most impressive development over that time has been his 3-point shot. This season he shot a career-best — and second-highest on the team — 39.2 percent from the 3-point line on a career-high 3.7 attempts per game. On a Thunder team that ranked in the bottom third of the NBA in 3-point accuracy, Grant’s marksmanship provided a massive lift for OKC’s offense.
| Season | Age | Tm | G | GS | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | 2P | FT | FTA | FT% | TRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 22 | OKC | 78 | 4 | 19.1 | 1.9 | 4.0 | .469 | 0.6 | 1.5 | .377 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.8 | .619 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 5.4 |
| 2017-18 | 23 | OKC | 81 | 1 | 20.3 | 3.0 | 5.6 | .535 | 0.4 | 1.4 | .291 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 3.0 | .675 | 3.9 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 8.4 |
| 2018-19 | 24 | OKC | 80 | 77 | 32.7 | 5.1 | 10.3 | .497 | 1.4 | 3.7 | .392 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 2.8 | .710 | 5.2 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 13.6 |
| Career | 383 | 145 | 24.1 | 3.1 | 6.7 | .461 | 0.7 | 2.1 | .334 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 2.9 | .654 | 3.9 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 8.8 | ||
| 3 seasons | OKC | 239 | 82 | 24.1 | 3.3 | 6.7 | .503 | 0.8 | 2.2 | .368 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 2.5 | .675 | 3.9 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 9.2 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/26/2019.
Grant needed time to develop into an adequate shooter and offensive player, but he’s always been versatile. At 6’9″ and 220 pounds, Grant has the physical size and athleticism of a modern NBA forward, but his unique skill-set allows him to shine in multiple spots on the court — something Presti loves in his players.
This season, Grant proved himself to be a Swiss Army knife of sorts on the defensive end by guarding players with a variety of different skills. From Giannis Antetokounmpo in a one-on-one matchup to James Harden in pick-and-roll situations, Grant continually showed an ability to play at a high level defensively for long stretches of the game, all while averaging only 2.7 fouls per contest. With the league gearing more toward forwards with versatility and switch-ability, Grant stands out among the crowd.
When comparing production to dollar amount, Grant’s contract could be considered highway robbery for the Thunder. This season he ranked as the 21st highest-paid power forward in the NBA, making $200,000 more than Cristiano Felicio of the Chicago Bulls and roughly $1 million less than John Henson of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
For Grant and his agent, picking up his player option in 2020 for $9.4 million would be a massive mistake, especially for a player that just turned 25 years old in March. If the Thunder front office allowed him to make it to the summer of 2020 without an extension and Grant — plus his representation — elected to enter free agency, there would most likely be a large amount of suitors.
With Grant’s improved play, consistent growth, reliable 3-point shot, elite athleticism and versatility, Presti and the Thunder front office should certainly engage him this summer and do whatever is necessary to extend his contract.
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Oklahoma City’s window of contention will stay open for the next 3-4 years while Russell Westbrook and Paul George are still on the team and in their athletic primes. If the team wants to maximize its potential, keeping Jerami Grant around with Westbrook and George is essential. In order to do so, the front office will have to dig a little deeper into its pockets.