Jerami Grant has a $9.3 million decision to make: opt-in and take that cash in hand, or become a free agent and try to get more on the open market.
After an impressive playoff run where he averaged 11.6 points a game and played strong wing defense for the Denver Nuggets — guarding Kawhi Leonard and then LeBron James — Grant is expected to choose the open market, reports Mike Singer of the Denver Post.
That sounds about right, above-average starter money, in the three years, $50 million range. He’s a quality perimeter defender who shot 39% from three the past two seasons, players like that are in demand around the league.
Denver has some roster decisions to make next season. They have $91.5 million in salary locked up in Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, and Will Barton alone. Assuming the team keeps Monte Morris ($1.7 million non-guaranteed, and they should extend him), the Nuggets will have about $30 million in cap space to play with, but they need to re-sign or replace Paul Millsap, Mason Plumlee, Torrey Craig, and now Grant.
That’s not going to be easy but Denver wants to keep its core together, including Grant.
“I think we have something special brewing,” Nuggets coach Mike Malone said after his team was eliminated from the playoffs. “And I think most importantly, I think people around this country, around the world, who were watching the playoffs, this group of guys, you would be hard pressed to find a better story coming out of this bubble. A bunch of young kids faced elimination, looked it in the face and just kept on surviving and advancing.”
Denver is counting on some internal improvement from their young core, Michael Porter Jr. in particular could make a leap to become the third offensive option for the team (even if he keeps coming off the bench). Beyond that, GM Tim Conley has some decisions to make.
Bringing back Grant shouldn’t be a hard one.