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The Boston Celtics are a team in need of a major roster shakeup, while the Detroit Pistons are a team in a rebuilding phase stuck with a talented, win-now player. Both teams have assets that would be of interest to the other, and could help with each team's respective goals. Let's see if a deal can be made.
Jerami Grant Celtics Trade
Pistons Receive: Josh Richardson, Aaron Nesmith, Romeo Langford, 2023 and 2025 first round picks
Boston Celtics receive: Jerami Grant
Why Boston makes this deal
The Boston Celtics need to make a change if they are looking to seriously compete for a title. As of right now, Boston should not be looking to trade either Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum, but rather they should try to find complementary pieces that will improve the roster around these two players. This will allow the team's two stars to coexist better. The biggest issue with this roster is players playing out of position. Although Jaylen Brown is effective at the two, Tatum is a lot more natural at the three than he is at the four. The problem is that the Celtics don’t have anybody outside of Tatum who can reasonably be called an effective starter on a contending team to play the power forward position, so Tatum is forced to play up a position out of necessity.
By sliding Tatum back down to small forward and adding in a much more natural and highly effective power forward, the Celtics will significantly improve their cohesiveness and continuity of their roster.
Enter Jerami Grant.
The 27 year old power forward for Detroit is arguably the most sought-after realistic player on the trade market going into this year‘s trade deadline. Grant had a breakout season last year, and has been trending up for several seasons. However, he has also been stuck on a Detroit roster that is going nowhere fast. Even with Cade Cunningham, the number one overall pick in the most recent draft, the Pistons are not going to be ready to contend for a championship anytime soon.
The Celtics, meanwhile, would be able to contend as early as next season, and potentially even this season if things break right for them, with the acquisition of Grant. A big three of Jayson Tatum, Jalen Brown, and Jeremi Grant complemented by a defensive star in Marcus smart and an all-around savvy, versatile veteran in Al Horford, and the Boston Celtics would have a versatile, talented and extremely well balanced starting five.
Why Detroit makes this Jerami Grant Celtics trade
Grant is still only 27, and while he’s certainly nowhere near the end of his prime, it will probably take this Detroit team at least two or three years to be ready to seriously contend for a championship. By that point, time will not be on Grant's side, and he will not be able to contribute as much, nor to generate as much value in a trade. Right now, Grant is likely at his highest value, and in this proposed deal he will be able to return at least one accomplished NBA player, two lottery tickets that have a shot at being above-average starters, if not stars, and two first-round picks that can be used either to draft players in the future, or as currency for other future trades.
The biggest question in this Jerami Grant Celtics trade
The big potential hangup in this deal is what Detroit would want back. They will very well likely start negotiations by inquiring about Brown, who has been rumored to want out and could be a potential trade target of several teams given the dysfunction so far this year in the Celtics locker room.
However, Boston would be wise to point out that with Brown the Pistons would be inheriting a similar problem to what they currently have with Grant. Because Brown is slightly more talented than Grant, it might even be counterproductive for a team that needs at least one more year with a high draft pick. Brown might do enough single-handedly to keep the team in the low lottery, or even just out of the lottery, but he will not lead the team deep to the playoffs all by himself.
The Detroit Pistons would be better off with building a core of young players who can lose a lot while learning how to win and developing their skills in the NBA, adding to that core through the draft, and then once they are ready to contend, making a timely free-agent signing or blockbuster trade to round out their core with players that complement each other. Nesmith could be an excellent shooter next to Cade Cunningham, who is a great scorer, rebounder, and distributor, and Langford offers potential as an all-around wing.
The first round picks would also be of particular interest for the Pistons. While they would likely request the earliest possible picks in terms of date (2022 and 2024 rather than 2023 in 2025 for example) theCeltics will be wise to offer the 2023 and 2025 picks first. However, if that is the only hangup that prevents this deal from getting completed, Boston should agree to the 2022 and 2024 picks.
