Player or the Day: Jerami Grant

[ThunderBolt]

Jerami Grant
Birthday March 12, 1994 age 23
6'9" 210lbs
Drafted 2014, 2nd round, 39th by 76ers
College Syracuse

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1: Should the thunder have exercised their option on Grant this offseason? Why or why not?

2: Do you think Grant will be a member of the thunder next year?

3: What is his ceiling?

4: If Kizz Fasfists had to pick one player to keep on the roster, who would he pick? Grant or McDermott? Why?

5: Do you think he's better suited for the three or four position?

6: What should be the over/under on the amount of times he drives to the basket with the ball and falls down?

[Kizz Fastfists]

1: Should the thunder have exercised their option on Grant this offseason? Why or why not?
2: Do you think Grant will be a member of the thunder next year?
3: What is his ceiling?
4: If Kizz Fasfists had to pick one player to keep on the roster, who would he pick? Grant or McDermott? Why?
5: Do you think he's better suited for the three or four position?
6: What should be the over/under on the amount of times he drives to the basket with the ball and falls down?

1) Yes. They weren't going to get a quality vet minimum player and there was nothing to gain by sending him to RFA. Someone had to fill that roster spot for the minimum.
2) Not if Russ is still on the team. If Russ and PG walk then they could keep him for a cheap roster spot as they chase the #1 pick.
3) Wilson Chandler. Very few players ever reach their ceiling, see Lamb, Jeremy.
4) Grant. Salary and no risk of a stupid RFA match.
5) SF. He would be interesting if he would put on some weight and commit to being a stretch four. He might actually be a passable bench player with more bulk as a stretch four.
6) 10

[hardenASG13]

Grant can be a big x factor for this team this season. He's gotta improve, sure, but I maintain he was basically a rookie last year. That will probably be met with emojis and criticism, but playing with rotating d league players on a tanking Philly team doesn't teach you how to play winning basketball. He showed enough flashes, in his wildly inconsistent minutes and role last year to have people excited. I can't believe more of you aren't. He's gotta get better with his handle, but at least he will drive, shoot confidently and attempt to make plays. Hoping an offseason in a winning culture, with lots of $ incentives, will turn him into a contributer at the wing and power forward positions this year.

[ThunderBolt]

I'm not as down on Grant as some. I do think he has potential. If he does actually get better, we're kind of screwed because he's an UFA next year. I think a lot of the struggles of Grant, Doug and Alex were due to Donovan jacking with rotations too much.

[sleestak33]

Had his worst year as a pro last year averaging 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds in 19 minutes per game. It was clearly a HUGE mistake trading Ilyasova for Grant as he is a far superior player and I still have no idea why Sam Presti made this move. They should have kept Ilyasova and started him at power forward as they desperately needed his scoring and outside shooting but instead they traded him for a much less talented player and started Sabonis which looks even more ridiculous now since he didn't even play in the playoffs and now they traded him. It looks even worse considering Ilyasova started and averaged 15 points and 6 rebounds last year. The love this team and Sam Presti has for defensive one way players that can't shoot and score continues to baffle me.

[Kizz Fastfists]

The love this team and Sam Presti has for defensive one way players that can't shoot and score continues to baffle me.

Are you trying to talk about Grant here? The guy that shot 37% from three for OKC last year and 44% on corner 3s? The problem is Grant can't play defense and can do nothing except shoot. He is no different than McDermott. Both are inferior it the bum known as Kyle Singler.

[Kizz Fastfists]

It looks even worse considering Ilyasova started and averaged 16 points and 6 rebounds last year.

Except Ilyasova didn't average 16 points and 6 rebounds last year. This is why no one can take you seriously. You make up stats and ignore reality.

[bondom34]

People keep replying like they'll get a coherent and reasoned reponse. Even Horne gave up on the guy.

[ThunderTime]

Still 13 ppg and 5.9 rebounds is better than whatever jeremi grant gave us. Bad move by presti unless Grant shows us a significant improvement this season.

[hardenASG13]

Had his worst year as a pro last year averaging 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds in 19 minutes per game. It was clearly a HUGE mistake trading Ilyasova for Grant as he is a far superior player and I still have no idea why Sam Presti made this move. They should have kept Ilyasova and started him at power forward as they desperately needed his scoring and outside shooting but instead they traded him for a much less talented player and started Sabonis which looks even more ridiculous now since he didn't even play in the playoffs and now they traded him. It looks even worse considering Ilyasova started and averaged 16 points and 6 rebounds last year. The love this team and Sam Presti has for defensive one way players that can't shoot and score continues to baffle me.

Yes, it was his worst year by the numbers, but in Philly he got looks and opportunities that would influence his stats to levels higher than what he produced on a playoff team. He didn't learn how to play meaningful NBA minutes in Philly. Last year was a learning experience for him, and he flashed potential on both ends

I don't get the fascination with 1 way defenders either (it's a 90s/early 2000s outdated ideology), but I don't see grant as that. If the guy tightens his handle and learns to play better off the ball he'll be a solid contributer on offense. He needs to learn the nba game defensively, but certainly has the physical tools to be a good defender. The mental side can take time. Whod he learn from in philly?Maybe they traded for him with this hope in mind. As such, he could've been seen as a Roberson replacement, although now in win now mode letting Roberson go for nothing didn't make sense considering the construction of the roster. Curious why you don't think he could improve, on both sides, this year

[RalphSampsonJr]

Grant can be a big x factor for this team this season. He's gotta improve, sure, but I maintain he was basically a rookie last year. That will probably be met with emojis and criticism, but playing with rotating d league players on a tanking Philly team doesn't teach you how to play winning basketball. He showed enough flashes, in his wildly inconsistent minutes and role last year to have people excited. I can't believe more of you aren't. He's gotta get better with his handle, but at least he will drive, shoot confidently and attempt to make plays. Hoping an offseason in a winning culture, with lots of $ incentives, will turn him into a contributer at the wing and power forward positions this year.

I agree.
He has shown enough for the thunder to be high on his development.
Yea his bbiq is/was terrible but the game should slow down for him. You can't teach a guy to move as well as he does. He will be that hybrid 3/4/5 that can take to teams when they try go small.

The Ilyasova arguement is ridiculous. The guy was getting paid 9 mil and couldn't stay on the court as he can't defend **** at the 4. Yea he could shoot but that was it. Far too much money for a 4 that can't guard at the rim or at the 3pt line

[sleestak33]

Grant can be a big x factor for this team this season. He's gotta improve, sure, but I maintain he was basically a rookie last year. That will probably be met with emojis and criticism, but playing with rotating d league players on a tanking Philly team doesn't teach you how to play winning basketball. He showed enough flashes, in his wildly inconsistent minutes and role last year to have people excited. I can't believe more of you aren't. He's gotta get better with his handle, but at least he will drive, shoot confidently and attempt to make plays. Hoping an offseason in a winning culture, with lots of $ incentives, will turn him into a contributer at the wing and power forward positions this year.

I agree.
He has shown enough for the thunder to be high on his development.
Yea his bbiq is/was terrible but the game should slow down for him. You can't teach a guy to move as well as he does. He will be that hybrid 3/4/5 that can take to teams when they try go small.

The Ilyasova arguement is ridiculous. The guy was getting paid 9 mil and couldn't stay on the court as he can't defend **** at the 4. Yea he could shoot but that was it. Far too much money for a 4 that can't guard at the rim or at the 3pt line

Grant has been in the NBA 4 years and his overall shooting is only 41%, on 3s he's 30% and free throws 62%. He simply isn't a good shooter and can't really create his own shot so he is never going to amount to anything offensively, much like Roberson, Patterson and Adams. Where are you getting your information that Ilyasova "can't guard the 4"? Did you know he led the entire NBA in charges taken for a season 2 years ago? You can't do that unless you play some defense and understand positioning, not to mention having some major balls. Ilyasova CLEARLY is a much better overall player than Grant and it's not even remotely close so to act as if OKC is better off with Grant is just ludicrous. He literally averaged 3 times as many points and is a much better shooter, scorer and rebounder. It was a stupid trade and they should have kept Ilyasova and started him instead of Sabonis who didn't remotely deserve to be in that role.

[sleestak33]

Had his worst year as a pro last year averaging 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds in 19 minutes per game. It was clearly a HUGE mistake trading Ilyasova for Grant as he is a far superior player and I still have no idea why Sam Presti made this move. They should have kept Ilyasova and started him at power forward as they desperately needed his scoring and outside shooting but instead they traded him for a much less talented player and started Sabonis which looks even more ridiculous now since he didn't even play in the playoffs and now they traded him. It looks even worse considering Ilyasova started and averaged 16 points and 6 rebounds last year. The love this team and Sam Presti has for defensive one way players that can't shoot and score continues to baffle me.

Yes, it was his worst year by the numbers, but in Philly he got looks and opportunities that would influence his stats to levels higher than what he produced on a playoff team. He didn't learn how to play meaningful NBA minutes in Philly. Last year was a learning experience for him, and he flashed potential on both ends

I don't get the fascination with 1 way defenders either (it's a 90s/early 2000s outdated ideology), but I don't see grant as that. If the guy tightens his handle and learns to play better off the ball he'll be a solid contributer on offense. He needs to learn the nba game defensively, but certainly has the physical tools to be a good defender. The mental side can take time. Whod he learn from in philly?Maybe they traded for him with this hope in mind. As such, he could've been seen as a Roberson replacement, although now in win now mode letting Roberson go for nothing didn't make sense considering the construction of the roster. Curious why you don't think he could improve, on both sides, this year

Grant has been in the NBA 4 years and last year was his worse so somehow he managed to regress when he should have been improving. His entire offensive game is either a wide open 3 or that goofy looking drive to the basket where he falls down half the time. My opinion on him is based on the fact that in 4 years of development this is where he is. How do you expect for him somehow to develop now? 4 years is a long time for somebody to improve at something.

[hardenASG13]

Had his worst year as a pro last year averaging 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds in 19 minutes per game. It was clearly a HUGE mistake trading Ilyasova for Grant as he is a far superior player and I still have no idea why Sam Presti made this move. They should have kept Ilyasova and started him at power forward as they desperately needed his scoring and outside shooting but instead they traded him for a much less talented player and started Sabonis which looks even more ridiculous now since he didn't even play in the playoffs and now they traded him. It looks even worse considering Ilyasova started and averaged 16 points and 6 rebounds last year. The love this team and Sam Presti has for defensive one way players that can't shoot and score continues to baffle me.

Yes, it was his worst year by the numbers, but in Philly he got looks and opportunities that would influence his stats to levels higher than what he produced on a playoff team. He didn't learn how to play meaningful NBA minutes in Philly. Last year was a learning experience for him, and he flashed potential on both ends

I don't get the fascination with 1 way defenders either (it's a 90s/early 2000s outdated ideology), but I don't see grant as that. If the guy tightens his handle and learns to play better off the ball he'll be a solid contributer on offense. He needs to learn the nba game defensively, but certainly has the physical tools to be a good defender. The mental side can take time. Whod he learn from in philly?Maybe they traded for him with this hope in mind. As such, he could've been seen as a Roberson replacement, although now in win now mode letting Roberson go for nothing didn't make sense considering the construction of the roster. Curious why you don't think he could improve, on both sides, this year

Grant has been in the NBA 4 years and last year was his worse so somehow he managed to regress when he should have been improving. His entire offensive game is either a wide open 3 or that goofy looking drive to the basket where he falls down half the time. My opinion on him is based on the fact that in 4 years of development this is where he is. How do you expect for him somehow to develop now? 4 years is a long time for somebody to improve at something.

Yes, 3 of those 4 years were with Philly, though, playing with rookies and d leaguers. Hard to judge anything based on that, particularly his ability to be a role player on a successful team. He's gotta get more consistent in most aspects of the game, yes.

But that consistency doesn't develop playing on a tanking Philly team, that openly was trying to lose games. Accountability, from coaches and teammates on a team like that, is not the same as playing on a western conference playoff team. Last year was like his rookie year in that regard. Hope that combined with the offseason in a winning culture will help with the consistency he certainly lacked. Can't wait to see what strides he's made.

[bondom34]

Phill had great coaching. Sorry they lacked talent but coaching and accountability were there.

[hardenASG13]

Phill had great coaching. Sorry they lacked talent but coaching and accountability were there.

Coaching coulda been good, but if he made mental errors, missed rotations, etc., it wasn't like his minutes would be reduced, or anyone would ultimately care.

[bondom34]

Except they did. Its why Okafor was benched. And why plenty of guys did develop. RoCo, Stauskas, McConnell, etc

[hardenASG13]

Except they did. Its why Okafor was benched. And why plenty of guys did develop. RoCo, Stauskas, McConnell, etc

True they dont seem to like okafor much there. McConnell would be a middle tier backup on any good team, and stauskas probably an end of the bench guy. RoCo looks legit. I don't know their depth charts well enough to dive into it, but guessing grant wasn't really competing too hard for minutes.

That said I don't think playing on those tanking Philly teams were indicative of much. Would be great for the team to see some improvement from him this year now that he had a summer to train, knowing exactly what he has to work on, to get to a level where he can contribute on a team like OKC.

[Pillendreher]

So does Grant even have a role with this team anymore?

[ThunderBolt]

So does Grant even have a role with this team anymore?

Yes. Cheap guy who fills a roster spot.