OKC Thunder Offseason Improvement Series: Jerami Grant
By Dean Turner
In the offseason improvement series, we’ll take a look at each player on the OKC Thunder roster and determine what they need to improve on. Jerami Grant is up.
This past season the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Jerami Grant in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers. Grant showed a few flashes this past season, but he still has a lot he can improve on this offseason. Grant has already proven to be a quality defender in the NBA, which means he needs most of his improvement on the offensive end. Here’s what he ought to be working on this summer.
Shooting
Shooting is the name of the game in today’s NBA. If you can’t do it, you’re basically irrelevant.
For his career, Grant shoots 41 percent from the field, 30 percent from three, and 63 percent from the free throw line. To be blunt, that isn’t very good.
This past season, Grant saw a spike in his shooting splits as he shot 46 percent from the field and 37 percent from three. Sounds like big time improvement, right? Not so fast. Grant only averaged 4.1 field goal attempts per game and 1.5 three-point attempts per game. His spike in his shooting percentages was likely the result of reduced volume and increased selectivity.
Grant will need to vastly improve as a shooter if he wants to continue to stay on the floor. No matter how great his defensive ability, it will not be enough to offset poor to mediocre shooting.
Shot Creation
Luckily for Grant, he doesn’t have to do much in the way of shot creation being that he plays with Russell Westbrook who averages double digit assists. That said, it would still behoove Grant to work on his ability to create off the dribble.
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Right now, Grant’s handle is still a bit weak. It’s gotten better since his days under Jim Boeheim at Syracuse but it still needs improvement. Grant’s ability to create shots off the dribble by improving his handle could prove vital to the success of both he and his team.
Grant could also use some improvement in his ability to create open looks for himself without the ball. Grant needs to get better at moving without the ball. The best way he can do this is to study how some of the best off-ball players in the league work.
Conclusion
Jerami Grant needs to improve his shooting, on-ball creation, and off-ball creation. If he can find a way to do this, he could become a pretty viable two-way force for the Oklahoma City Thunder.