NBA Rumors: Pre-2022 Deadline Trade Buzz on Jerami Grant and More
The dominoes are dropping at a ridiculous rate ahead of Thursday's NBA trade deadline.
And to think, this might only be the appetizer for the main course yet to be served.
Already, we've seen the likes of Domantas Sabonis, CJ McCollum, Tyrese Haliburton, Norman Powell and Caris LeVert change uniforms and locker rooms. It's possible this frenzied activity keeps right on rolling through the deadline.
With the rumor mill bursting at the seams, let's dig in to some of its latest rumblings.
It's Possible Pistons Keep Jerami Grant Around
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On the surface, Jerami Grant seems to rank among the most obvious trade candidates of this swap season.
The soon-to-be 28-year-old is in the heart of his prime, while the rebuilding Detroit Pistons could be years away from their own. He offers immense trade value with a skill set that fits anywhere, and the club could use more assets to keep building around top pick Cade Cunningham. Grant also needs a new contract between now and 2023, and the Pistons could be too far from being competitive to justify covering the cost.
And yet, B/R's Jake Fischer reported that "it seems unlikely" anyone will pay the Pistons' desired rate of multiple first-round picks, which could keep Grant in the Motor City beyond the deadline. After that, the Pistons could either lock him into their rebuilding plans or entertain trade talks around the draft.
From the outside, it feels like the iron is too hot for the Pistons not to strike, but since Grant is signed for next season, they have enough breathing room to practice patience if they feel the current trade offers aren't up to par.
Alec Burks Drawing Most Interest in New York
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The New York Knicks won't blow it all up at the deadline. That's not a move for a team coached by Tom Thibodeau to make, plus it would erase all the positive momentum built during last season's playoff breakthrough.
But with just two losses to show for their last dozen outings, the Knicks could be active sellers. They spent a ton of money last summer, and since it hasn't delivered the desired outcome, they could be looking to cut costs.
Fischer reported the Knicks are, in fact, hoping "to shed salary," with veteran swingman Alec Burks generating the most trade interest.
Logically, that checks out. His three-year, $30 million felt reasonable at the time and reads the same way. He's been mostly as productive as last season (albeit slightly less efficient as a shooter), and he brings enough to both ends to fit with most wing-needy shoppers.
Interest Building in Spurs Big Man
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Modern bigs who don't space the floor aren't typically the easiest players to move, but if the San Antonio Spurs wanted to turn Jakob Poeltl into assets, that apparently wouldn't be difficult.
"Jakob Poeltl remains a highly coveted center on the trade market," Fischer reported. "Chicago has recently been mentioned as another interested team in addition to Toronto and Charlotte."
If the Indiana Pacers are keeping Myles Turner after trading Domantas Sabonis, Poeltl might have zero competition as the best defensive center on the market—assuming, of course, he's actually on the market. He is tied for 27th overall in FiveThirtyEight's Defensive RAPTOR metric, and just last season, he landed in the No. 3 spot.
He's young enough (26) for the Spurs to potentially keep him around but old enough where a forward-focused trade might make sense given San Antonio's position on the pecking order. Poeltl does a lot of things well (just about everything other than shoot) and some well above that, so the interest is understandable, and the attraction could be significant.
