New York Knicks: Why Detroit’s Jerami Grant is the perfect trade target
By Allen Settle
Why would the New York Knicks trade for him?
At first glance, the Knicks have every reason to add a player like Grant. They need All-Star talent. and Grant is an All-Star-caliber player (he would have been selected last season if he played for a better team). That being said, his fit on the overall roster is much more interesting.
The 6’6″ Syracuse alumni has played the majority of his games at the power forward position. To be specific, 66% of his appearances have come as a stretch four. By comparison, he has appeared in 28% of his games at small forward, 4% at shooting guard, and 1% at center.
While he does have some positional flexibility, he profiles more as a frontcourt player. The Knicks, happen to be well-stocked at this position due to the presence of Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, Nerlens Noel, and Taj Gibson. There have been articles written about the New York Knicks and Jerami Grant before.
Would Grant push these non-Randle options aside should he join the roster? Absolutely! The question is, are the Knicks best served in adding a seemingly redundant skillset? Or should they pursue a more natural fit?
I say New York should pursue Grant without hesitation. Should Robinso continue to be plagued by injuries, he could man the power forward slot with Randle shifting to center. Grant’s shooting proficiency would also allow him to occupy the full-time small forward spot without significantly impacting the team’s floor spacing.
The pairing between Grant and the Knicks isn’t the most natural in the world. But it is far from an incompatibility.
Additionally, the current Pistons’ star offers extreme flexibility on defense. He is a capable option with a reputation of being an impact stopper. Most impressive is his ability to guard multiple positions.
Grant has the speed to keep up with shift guards, and the length and strength to matchup up with opposing big-men. He is not on the level as superstar defenders like Draymond Green or Bam Adebayo. But he does bring a slightly lesser version of a similar skillset.
These abilities would thrive under Knicks’ coach Tom Thibodeau. Who better to maximize Grant’s potential by boosting him with an elite team defense and scheme? He could very well find himself in conversations for All-Defensive Team honors.