Denver Nuggets: Complete grades for the 2019 NBA offseason
By Phil Watson
Trading for Jerami Grant
The Denver Nuggets rolled the dice on an upgrade at the 3 spot, giving up a lightly protected 2020 first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in order to acquire combo forward Jerami Grant.
The pick is top-10 protected through 2022, at which point it becomes a pair of second-round picks (2023 and 2024), but if the Nuggets play as expected this season, that pick will convey to the Thunder next June.
Grant is entering his age-25 season coming off a breakout campaign in Oklahoma City, his first as a full-time starter during which he averaged career-highs of 13.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 32.7 minutes per game, while also putting up 1.3 blocks a night.
He shot 49.7 percent overall and established himself for the first time as a threat to stretch the floor, knocking down 39.2 percent on 3.7 3-point attempts per game — well above his 33.4 percent career mark from deep.
He started at the 4 for the Thunder last season, but certainly has the tools to play the 3 as well and would represent an upgrade at the 3 for a team that gave undrafted free agent Torrey Craig 37 starts at the small forward spot last season.
Grant would be better defensively than Will Barton, who was limited to 43 games and 38 starts last season because of a hip injury and is better-used as a scorer with the second unit, and Grant has much more size than Malik Beasley, who was pressed into some time at the 3 as well.
The danger for the Nuggets is buying high on a player coming off a career year. Grant was a second-round pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2014 and started 63 games in two seasons with The Process-era Sixers before he was traded to the Thunder early in the 2016-17 campaign.
Grant started just five times in his first two seasons in Oklahoma City before emerging as a starter last season, so there is a regression concern.
On the other hand, Grant can play without demanding the ball, will dig in and defend and can rim protect a little bit, a plus for a Nuggets club that was just 24th in the NBA in blocked shots last season.
The challenge for Grant as a wing with this team will be to adopt the ball-sharing philosophy coach Mike Malone preaches. The Nuggets were second in the NBA in assists last season, while Grant averaged just one dime per game — matching his career average.
But for a team looking to upgrade on the cheap, Grant is a good pickup. He’s set to make $9.37 million this season and has a player option for the same amount for 2020-21.