Getty Jerami Grant, Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are clearly in the hunt for an NBA championship in the near future, just a quick glimpse at their recent roster moves tells you as much.
If you needed any more convincing about Chicago’s potential as Eastern Conference finalists, look no further than their competition with the Miami Heat for dominance in the Eastern Conference standings.
Yet, there’s a growing feeling that the team is potentially one more piece away from being a genuine powerhouse in the league. Sure, when healthy the Bulls have decimated many who have stood in their path, but what if they could upgrade from Coby White? Or find an impactful veteran for Patrick Williams?
Questions such as these have become commonplace in recent weeks, especially since Williams went down with a long-term wrist injury. According to Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes, the Bulls can’t be sure of Williams’ long-term potential and maybe enticed into trading away the sophomore forward.
“They selected Patrick Williams with the No. 4 overall pick 15 months ago, and he’s also their most tantalizing trade piece today. But all the Bulls can use to judge his value is an age-19 season and five games from earlier this year,” Hughes wrote.
Hughes goes on to postulate a trade that would certainly put the Bulls over the top in terms of fighting for a championship. Currently, the Bulls boast a “big four” of Lonzo Ball, Zach Lavine, Nikola Vucevic, and DeMar DeRozan, but the Bleacher Report analyst believes Williams holds the key to creating an elite starting five that could potentially be the best in the NBA.
“This is all relevant to Chicago’s pursuit of a defensive upgrade on the wing. Jerami Grant appears eminently available and would fit perfectly on a roster that should contend once Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso are fully recovered,” Huges wrote.
Where Does Williams Fit on This Roster?
Over 71 games as a rookie, Williams averaged 9.2 points, 1.4 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game, hitting 39.1% of his three’s and 48.3% of his field-goal attempts. Not bad numbers for a rookie on a team that made some major mid-season adjustments.
According to Cleaning The Glass, Williams saw most of his offense come in the mid-range area, which analytically speaking, isn’t the most favorable of shots – unless you’re a star scorer such as DeRozan. In fact, only 24% of Williams’ shots came from deep, and 37% around the rim.
When looking at the Bulls’ current rotation, it’s evident the mid-range shot isn’t going to be available for the sophomore forward once he returns to the court, which may push him into some uncomfortable learning experiences.
The problem for Chicago is that they don’t have time to develop Williams’ offensive game – they have prised open a window of contention and need to maximize their chances wherever possible.
Sure, the 6-foot-7 athletic forward is an exemplary defender and has the explosiveness to develop a reliable pick-and-roll game as the roll man, but if moving him can get you closer to a ring, then you have to consider making the deal.
Jerami Grant Is Available According To Reports
According to NBA report Marc Stein, the Detriot Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem is open to trading Jerami Grant, if the price is right. However, Stein notes that not all of the Pistons front office feels the same way, and currently are at odds on how to proceed with the star forward as we close in on the trade deadline.
“Some rival clubs are now describing what amounts to a split within the organization about keeping or trading Grant … with Pistons’ vice chairman Arn Tellem said to be open to an immediate trade,” Stein wrote.
Grant is currently earning $20 million per season and is mid-way through a three-year $60 million deal. Yet, the Pistons’ are still amidst a rebuild and are likely looking at the team’s long-term future, making Grant a valuable asset in any potential trade discussions.
“Detroit wants a relative haul for Grant while Grant is said to be seeking a considerable role offensively with a new team as well a four-year contract extension in excess of $100 million,” Stein noted.
While every team’s definition of a “haul” is different, starting trade discussions by floating last season’s number four pick is an exceptional way to gauge the team’s interest in concluding a deal. A potential Williams-plus-filler deal makes sense for both parties, the Pistons get a young running mate for Cade Cunningham, and the Bulls become arguable the deepest team in the NBA.
Of course, there are other suitors for Grant’s signature, and the February 10 trade deadline is still a week and a half away, however, the Bulls have enough young talent to entice the Pistons to the negotiating table, the only question is how enamored Chicago is with Williams moving forwards.