Jerami Grant has had a solid season. He has fit in seamlessly with the Denver Nuggets and proven why the Mile High has had their sights on him for the past few years. Not only is he a versatile weapon who can play multiple positions, but he has also shown flashes of defensive brilliance. Look no further than the other night, when he helped hold Kawhi Leonard to 13 points. That’s the first time Kawhi scored less than 15 points in a postseason game since 2015. Here is why Jerami Grant has been a subtle, yet effective addition from the last offseason.
Jerami Grant: An Underrated Addition
Versatility
This season, Grant has been thrust in a variety of roles. He’s provided solid production off the bench, filled in the starting lineup when injuries hit, and played multiple positions thanks to his 6’8 210-pound frame. Grant can play the small forward spot, be a small-ball four, and play the shooting guard spot from time-to-time as well.
This year, Grant has played at shooting guard for 2 percent of the season, small forward 36 percent, and his natural power forward spot 62 percent. His versatility has given the Nuggets plenty of options on both the offensive and defensive ends this year. As a result, it’s served them well much of the time. If the Denver Nuggets do move on from Paul Millsap, then Jerami Grant would be an ideal replacement.
Production
For his career, Grant has relatively pedestrian numbers. However, he’s still young and only now seems to have found a perfect home in the city of Denver. Throughout his career so far, the Syracuse product has tallied 9.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and an effective field goal percentage of 52.3 percent.
Grant is in the midst of a career year right now. He’s posting totals of 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and an effective field goal percentage of 55.5 percent. He’s also averaging a career-high usage rate of 18.0 percent. To dig deeper, Grant has been vital to Denver’s defensive efforts in the playoffs. Per NBA.com, Grant has held Leonard to just 16 points in two games played as of September 6, 2020. Other notable names he has held to single figures in these playoffs include Rudy Gobert (seven points), Paul George (three points), and Mike Conley (two points). This is a contract year for Grant and the 26-year-old has shown his worth. If the Nuggets are smart, then they will give the versatile forward a new contract and make him a part of their future plans.
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