The Chicago Bulls have been one of the most aggressive teams around the NBA when it comes to adding talent in recent seasons. Last year, they used the trade deadline to acquire Nikola Vucevic from the Orlando Magic then acquired DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, and Alex Caruso in the offseason.
With the Bulls proving to be among the top teams in the Eastern Conference, there is reason to continue to push for a win-now deal to maximize championship odds. Patrick Williams being sidelined has left a hole at the four spot that may need to be filled using an acquisition at the NBA trade deadline.
When identifying the top three trade deadline targets for each team around the NBA, Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz labeled Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant as a ‘dream target’ for the Chicago Bulls. Grant is averaging 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists this season.
In order to swing a deal to land Grant at the NBA trade deadline, Swartz mentioned the asking price would likely require Patrick Williams or Coby White along with other salaries and/or draft picks. While it would be costly, Swartz seed such a move as being a separator for Chicago from the crowded Eastern Conference.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Will Chicago Bulls Make Another Major NBA Trade Deadline Push?
“If Grant is the target, he’s almost certainly going to cost one of Patrick Williams or Coby White, plus other players to salary match and/or draft picks. Trading for the versatile forward would push Chicago all-in for a title, however, and possibly separate them from the other contenders at the top of a crowded East,” Swartz wrote.
There’s a lot to like about the skill-set that Jerami Grant brings on both offense and defense. He’s a versatile scorer that can knock down catch-and-shoot looks along with attacking downhill off the catch, using ball screens, or out of isolation. He’s got some shot creation to his game, too, which is intriguing for a power wing.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Will Chicago Bulls Make Another Major NBA Trade Deadline Push?
Grant’s calling card throughout his NBA career has been defensive versatility. He’s going to guard the ball with energy and has a great combination of quickness and strength for a wing—enabling him to handle defending multiple positions at a high-level. He’s a high IQ off-ball defender to go along with all of those other attributes.
Where Swartz sees Grant as being most impactful to the Bulls would be defensively, but also as another ‘needed’ scorer on the wing alongside DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. The power forward spot would immediately be addressed with a Grant trade.
“Grant would become the team’s starting power forward, and while his scoring would certainly drop from the 20.1 per-game mark he’s posted with the Pistons this season, he’d still be a valuable defender and an as-needed scorer playing between DeRozan and Vucevic,” Swartz wrote.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Will Chicago Bulls Make Another Major NBA Trade Deadline Push?
The main concern that is present for any team looking to acquire Jerami Grant at the NBA trade deadline revolves around his desire to be a top scoring option. Additionally, he plans to ask for a four-year contract extension worth in excess of $100 million wherever he lands. The Chicago Bulls already have a lot of scoring options in their half-court offense—preventing Grant from being a go-to threat as he has been with the Detroit Pistons.
