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The Boston Celtics have been intertwined with an abundance of trade speculation over recent months, much of which feels a little farfetched if we’re being honest with ourselves. However, it appears at least one of those rumors holds some weight.
Appearing on the CLNS Media A-List Podcast, The Athletic’s James Edwards III revealed that Danny Ainge has been quite aggressive in hopes of adding a specific budding star from the Motor City to join forces with All-Stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in Boston.
“I Believe that Boston has offered multiple firsts for (Jerami Grant),” Edwards stated. “What multiple means, it could be two it could be three.” The Pistons beat writer added that “Boston seems like a team that is very very very desperate to get him.”
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Jerami Grant Not Considered ‘Untouchable’
This news seemingly correlates with the recent report that named Grant among the Celtics’ top trade targets, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania. It also comes on the heels of Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver informing reporters that no player on the team’s current roster – including Grant – is off limits at the trade deadline.
“No, nobody is untouchable,” Weaver said, per Rod Beard of The Detroit News, before somewhat contradicting himself. “I learned never to say never, but there are some guys who are here to stay. We’ll see.”
With that said, Edwards doesn’t feel as if a team will be “willing to go where it takes to get him.” In return, he believes that the 26-year-old forward will remain with the Pistons past the deadline.
“I don’t think Grant is on another team starting in April,” Edwards said.
Grant May Be a Lock for the Most Improved Player Award
Making his way to Detroit via a sign-and-trade with the Denver Nuggets this past offseason, Grant has elevated his game to new heights this season. A career 9.45 ppg scorer entering 2020-21, Grant has transformed into a lethal scoring option, ranking within the top-25 of all NBA players with 23.7 ppg. That scoring average, which has essentially doubled his 12.0 ppg output with Denver last season, has much to do with his ability to get to the rim and draw contact. The 6-foot-8-inch, 210-pound forward is currently averaging the 13th-most free-throw attempts in basketball, with 6.4 per game. Even better, when he gets to the line he makes it count, knocking down 88.9% of his free throws, the 17th-best percentage in the NBA.
Grant may have failed to make an All-Star roster this season, but that’s not to say his growth has gone unnoticed. The Pistons standout is currently the front-runner to take home this season’s Most-Improved Player award. It’s also been recently announced that Grant is among the 57 finalists to represent the U.S. Olympic basketball team, via The Detroit News.
His brilliance has also earned him the support of some former Celtics players as a potential trade candidate.
“The answer is yes, I would do whatever it takes to get Jerami Grant,” former NBA Champ Brian Scalabrine said on Celtics Pregame Live back in February. “I think he’s a perfect fit for what we’re doing here. I think that he could be the guy that has big games. I think he could be a guy that helps defensively, he can guard multiple positions. To me, he jumps ahead of Harrison Barnes, and then Harrison Barnes is two. So yes, Grant to me is the guy.”
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