BlazersBroncos wrote:PDXKnight wrote:BlazersBroncos wrote:
I would argue since leaving Denver we have seen Grant as someone who is less than interested in being a low usage 3/D guy who can save himself for defense. He wants shots.
He left Denver, a place where he could have carved out a career legacy as the new Tayshaun Prince type glue guy to instead get 15+ shots in Detroit.
He should be on the bench playing 20mpg. I dont think the argument for Sharpe starting over Grant is simply due to youth and potential - the team is better with Sharpe on the floor than Grant.
Sharpe had a better On/Off and OnCourt per 100 possessions than Grant this year. He also had a better WS/48 and OBPM than Grant. His ORtg was slightly better and the DRtg was the same.
Grant has no argument for starting over Sharpe, Camara or Deni other than being wildly overpaid - but I say you simply take the sunk cost and bench him.
I'd say it depends on the cost. It kills me because i and likely most of us knew it was a bad contract from day 1, but as suggested in other posters that 2029 (worst of 3) frp isn't gonna be all that good. That'd be something to consider I think.
I don't know if benching him would be great as I could see locker room drama. He's been a good presence by all accounts but he seems like he'd get disgruntled over an excessively small role much like ayton or Ant then we'd have to deal with losing the locker room.
Feels like maybe we need to have a heart to heart with him something like "hey we gave you this huge deal and you're getting outplayed, no hard feelings but we are gonna bring you off the bench. Feel free to see with your agent if any other team wants your contract and arrange a deal that doesn't cost us additional assets to move you. We kept our promise to pay you this small fortune so please keep yours and be a professional until we can move you. Not doing so will result in consequences laid out in the cba and in your contract"
I just dont see where Grant fits anywhere outside as a bench player.
We have the forward spots basically locked up w/ Camara and Deni. Grant should accept his role and look at his bank account before bitching about anything.
I am not of mind that a starting trio of Camara / Grant / Deni has enough offensive juice to really get anywhere. In my minds eye the late play of Sharpe has cemented him as the guy to roll with at SG next season - nothing is guaranteed but given the pieces we have to really take the 'next step' a scoring guard like Sharpe who can call his own number is quite needed - especially if Scoot is the PGOTF as he doesnt really project as a high volume scorer as much as he does a middle of the road floor general (Conley type if the stars align).
So unless we are going to bench a youngster in Sharpe who doesnt just have the potential to provide the most in-need offensive skillset given the other youths in town (Deni, Camara, Scoot, DC) but is also on a contract year where we 10000% need to know what we have - unless we make that foolish move then I see no route for Grant being a starter here.
And I see no route for us moving off him either outside attaching serious assets.
So Grant should accept his role, accept he inked a huge deal in a small market for an absurd length in years and just grind it out as a good solider. We already did a solid by not backing out of his insane deal when Dame asked out. He can zip it and play the role we need given the current state of the team.
Oh I agree, he definitely shouldn't start. I cant see them paying him that money to play under 25 mpg as a reserve though