Report: Jerami Grant Expected to Opt out of Nuggets Contract, Test Free Agency

Jerami Grant is looking to cash out after helping the Denver Nuggets reach the Western Conference Finals.

The Denver Post's Mike Singer reported Grant plans to opt out of his contract, though the 26-year-old would like to return to the Nuggets. According to Singer, $14 million to $16 million annually is one estimate as to what he could earn on the open market.

Grant is due to earn $9.3 million in 2020-21 if he does not opt out.

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised uncertainty about the state of the NBA's finances, particularly with regard to the salary cap. In addition, the list of teams likely to have a meaningful amount of cap space was already going to be low as everybody prepares for the 2021 free-agent bonanza.

That provides one incentive for veterans with player options to opt in and let things return closer to normal before hitting free agency.

Grant, however, should be able to command more than his current contract will pay him.

He averaged 12.0 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 38.9 percent from three-point range in 71 games this season. His scoring average (11.6) and efficiency (40.6 percent overall and 32.6 percent from beyond the arc) dipped a bit in the playoffs, which was to be expected since the postseason tends to be slower and more defensive.

Grant more than held his own on the perimeter as well. Opposing shooters only hit 29.8 percent of their threes when matched up against him, per NBA.com.

Three-and-D forwards who live up to the billing aren't that easy to find. Grant's skill set will almost certainly put him on the radar of every team with playoff aspirations.

The Nuggets will see Paul Millsap and Mason Plumlee become unrestricted free agents, and Torrey Craig is a restricted free agent. Add Grant to the mix, and keeping the entire roster will be tricky for president of basketball operations Tim Connelly.

Re-signing Grant should be a priority, even if it jeopardizes Denver's chances of retaining one or more of Millsap, Plumlee and Craig.