Pistons: 3 important goals for Jerami Grant in 2021-22

Goals for Jerami Grant and the Detroit Pistons: 3. Stay healthy

Jerami Grant put up great numbers, particularly in the first half of the season before opposing teams were able to key off on him. In fact, over the first 24 games of the season, he averaged 24.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 stocks (combined blocks and steals), and he did so on efficient 45-40-87 shooting splits.

From that point forward, the wheels fell off a bit. His averages dropped to 20.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 stocks, and the weight of having to carry the whole team on offense while also being the key defender grew heavier by the game. Especially after Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose left the team, he was essentially a man alone, surrounded by young rookies and two-way players.

He had the mental and tactical load to carry, but the actual physical load was daunting as well. He ended up only playing 52 of a possible 72 games, and he played just six of the final 20 games of the season. This wasn’t all injury-related, part of this absence can be chalked up to the strategic tanking the Pistons underwent, but health will be key for the coming season nonetheless.

Ideally, the Pistons won’t be strategically tanking next season, and as a result Grant will play more than five out of every seven games.