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Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant, who donned Syracuse orange between 2012 and 2014, is making a case not only for the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year Award but also for the 2021 All-Star Game. 

He chose to sign with the Pistons in free agency after one season with the Denver Nuggets to have a bigger role and to make a statement of self-worth and Black empowerment. Former Syracuse assistant coach Troy Weaver, now the Pistons general manager, inked Grant to a 3-year, $60 million deal he’s thus far living up to. 

“I’m getting more comfortable,” the seventh-year forward told reporters Thursday, after practice. “I think I’m getting better as an individual player. I think I’ve still got a ways to go, so I’m going to continue to put the work in, continue to grow.” 

Grant, who’s averaging 25.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in his first season in Detroit, has seen upticks in nearly every major statistical category through 14 games. He’s shooting 10 more shots per game, yet he’s maintaining the same efficient shooting numbers while improving his rebounding and playmaking.

Wednesday night against the Atlanta Hawks, he scored a career-high 32 points — his third 30-point game of the season — and notched all nine of the Pistons overtime points.

It’s still early in the NBA season, and his individual success hasn’t translated to winning for the 3-11 Pistons, but Grant is 12th in the league in scoring — ninth in the East — and 36th in Player Efficiency Rating (21.6). His usage rate is a career-high 26.2%, better than that of Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis. 

“It’s definitely about opportunity,” Grant said. “But at the same time, I put a lot of work in throughout the years. And I think I’m at the point in my career where I’m able to show it.” 

With the Nuggets, Grant was mainly used as a spot-up shooter and stout defender who often drew the opponents’ best wing. Playing off star center Nikola Jokic and the talented guard Jamal Murray, Grant excelled in his role all the way to the 2020 Western Conference Finals. 

Now, he has a much more expanded role as the Pistons No. 1 option. A quarter of Grant’s shots are pull-up jumpers, according to Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale. His shot distribution previously never topped 12.3% pull-ups. 

Grant was part of the 2013 Final Four run and 2014 team that was ranked No. 1. Daily Orange File Photo

Teams have noticed his jump in production, too. He said defenses are starting to overload to his side more. Pistons head coach Dwane Casey said the next step in his development is making the right pass when he draws too much of the defense’s attention.

The 26-year-old is isolating more. According to Favale, 31.9% of his buckets come unassisted, besting his past career-high of 27.1%. Grant’s also running more pick and rolls than ever. Still, his field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and true shooting percentage are either the same or slightly lower. 

“I just hope our league recognizes who he is and what he’s doing,” Casey said Thursday. 

It’s rare for a player to become a 25-point scorer seven years into his NBA career. Grant was drafted 39th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2014. Along with the Nuggets, he also played for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

At Syracuse, Grant was a role player on the 2013 Final Four team and helped lead SU to a 25-0 start the next season. Grant averaged 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds for the 2014 group that earned the No. 1 spot in the AP rankings during the season. 

But even at SU, he wasn’t the Orange’s primary scoring option, playing alongside C.J. Fair, Tyler Ennis and Trevor Cooney. 

“He’s developing into a role he’s never had before,” Casey said. “I just had that conversation with him. He’s a go-to guy, a closer at the end of the game, which he’s never been in that role. And it’s a huge role. It’s a role that takes the thought process of understanding time, score and situation. He’s learning that.”

Published on January 21, 2021 at 8:33 pm

Contact Danny: dremerma@syr.edu | @DannyEmerman