"With the nineteenth pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards select Jerian Grant from the University of Notre Dame."
2015 ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player Jerian Grant walked to the stage at the Barclays Center as the nineteenth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft with the thought that he would suit up for the Washington Wizards next season. What Grant didn't know was the Atlanta Hawks had traded their fifteenth pick, Kelly Oubre, to Washington for the ninteeth selection. So Jerian would be a part of the Atlanta Hawks next season? Nope! Grant's draft night journey ended with the Hawks trading him to the New York Knicks for Tim Hardaway Jr.
Out of all the scenarios that could have happened last night for the twenty-two year old, going to the New York Knicks was the best possible. Not only will Grant be able to play significant, meaningful minutes for an NBA team, but he will fight for the starting point guard position with Jose Calderon and Shane Larkin.
The son of seven thousand point NBA player Harvey Grant and brother of Philadelphia 76ers' guard Jerami Grant was the star for the Fighting Irish this past season as he posted 16.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while leading his team to the Elite Eight.
Jerian Grant's strongest attribute has to be his playmaking ability as he can make jumpers off the dribble, take the ball to the rim for "and one" opportunities, and find the open man while penetrating the lane. In addition, he is extremely unselfish and will do whatever it takes to win whether that is having six points and fifteen assists or recording a triple-double. Despite his defensive play being subpar at times, Grant shows moments of good play due to his instincts and anticipation skills in the passing lanes.
2015-2016 Projected Starting Lineup
PG-Jerian Grant
---16.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 6.7 APG, & 1.7 SPG. (At University of Notre Dame)
SG-Langston Galloway
***2014-2015 All-Rookie Second Team
---11.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, & 1.2 SPG.
SF-Cleanthony Early
---5.4 PPG & 2.5 RPG.
PF-Carmelo Anthony
***2015 All-Star Game Starter for East
---24.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.1 APG, & 1.0 SPG.
C-Kristaps Porzingis
---11.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, & 1.0 BPG. (With Baloncesto Sevilla)
6th-Jose Calderon
---9.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, & 3.0 APG. 38
Don't worry Knicks' fans, year two of the "Phil Jackson Era" should be much better than year one. Since Carmelo Anthony is expected to be one hundred percent healthy for the start of the regular season, the Knicks will have their best player back on the court where he belongs. Yet with players such as like Andrea Bargnani and Jason Smith leaving as unrestricted free agents, one should look for General Manager Steve Mills to sign players that can be productive in the post. The purpose of signing a post presence would be to keep Carmelo Anthony from playing the power forward spot on a nightly basis as it would take a toll on him over the course of an eighty-two game season. But no matter how one "views the glass", the Knicks will not make the 2016 NBA Playoffs and are a long way from it.
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