Report: Mavs Face 'Uphill Climb' for Grant Trade; Will Dallas 'Up the Ante' Before Deadline?

The Dallas Mavericks have been connected to Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant in NBA trade rumors, but a new report hints that Dallas will need to up its offer to truly get into the mix.

With the NBA trade deadline just three days away, the Dallas Mavericks have reportedly shifted their focus to stretch-four big men. John Collins, P.J. Washington and Jerami Grant are all names that fit that description, and the Mavs have been linked to Collins and Grant in a handful of trade rumors in recent weeks.

According to Action Network's Matt Moore, the Mavs are still trying to find ways to get in on a Grant trade with the Detroit Pistons.

"Both the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks have explored a deal for Grant in recent weeks, sources said, but both face an uphill climb to generate the assets needed to generate Detroit’s interest," reports Moore.

Another potential hurdle for the Mavs getting into the mix for Grant is whether or not they can provide him with the kind of role he wants for his career. Grant was offered the same amount of money by a Denver Nuggets team that had just made the Western Conference Finals in 2020, and yet he still left for Detroit due to his desire to be a top option.

"Utah, too, would struggle to create the kind of role that Grant sees for himself, but he would fit easily back into the role he played with Denver with the Jazz," says Moore. "Same goes for Dallas who has Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, and upcoming restricted free agent Jalen Brunson who need touches."

Grant may see himself as a first or second option on an NBA team, but if the soon-to-be 28-year-old wants a real chance of winning a championship while still being in his prime, he might need to swallow his pride a little and be more open to a third or fourth option on a team. In Dallas, Grant would at least be a third option, and there's an argument that can be made for him to the second.

Given Grant's physique and how he plays on both ends of the floor, he could potentially be the Mavs' modern day version of Josh Howard. When the dust settles, Dallas still might not have what it takes to pull this kind of trade off, but at the very least, it's nice to hear that Mavs general manager Nico Harrison is leaving no stone unturned.