OKC Thunder Lightning Report: Jerami Grant’s breakout season
By Noah Schulte
Conclusion
What makes Grant’s jump from enticing yet almost unplayably raw prospect to one of the most important players on the team so surprising is the fact that he actually capitalized on his potential.
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There are so many players like Grant in the NBA who clearly could be rotation players at the very least, but, for whatever reason, never get there.
The fact that Grant was able to buck that trend and develop into one of the most versatile bigs in the NBA is a credit to both his own drive and the Thunder for identifying him and giving him the opportunity in the first place.
Only three years ago, Kyle Neubeck, then of Liberty Ballers, had this to say about Grant’s trade from the Philadelphia 76ers:
"Even with heavy protections, getting a potential first-round pick of any caliber back for Grant is a good move…Grant has yet to prove he can shoot well enough to be a part of the Sixers’ long-term plans, so moving on makes sense."
Next. Season Review: Paul George’s MVP-caliber season. dark
And now we’re talking about him as one of the most important players on a perennial playoff team. He has some kinks to work out before he can take his next step, but the fact he’s already so good speaks volumes about him and the franchise as a whole.