Nuggets' Grant expected to draw interest from Pistons, Suns, Hawks

Denver forward reportedly intends to opt out of contract, become unrestricted free agent.

The Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns and Atlanta Hawks are expected to be among those interested in forward Jerami Grant once the free agency period begins, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post.

Grant is expected to opt out of his contract with the Denver Nuggets, and as Singer reported, the Nuggets and Grant share a mutual interest in a return.

But clearly, they will have some competition.

Grant, 26, is 6-foot-8 and just completed his first season with the Nuggets after a 2019 draft-day trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

His contract option for next season is worth around $9.3 million, Singer noted.

“I’m definitely looking forward to it," Grant told reporters when asked about the offseason. "We’ll see how it goes."

Grant drew praise from Nuggets coach Michael Malone and teammates after a strong performance in the Western Conference Finals. The Nuggets were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.

Grant averaged 21.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in the final three games of the series. A source told Singer that Grant could command between $14 million and $16 million per season on the open market.

Both forward Paul Millsap and center Miles Plumlee are due to become unrestricted free agents this offseason, which would shed $44 million off the Nuggets' salary cap.