Syracuse Basketball: Former Orange stars ink new NBA contracts

Former Syracuse basketball stars Jerami Grant, Michael Carter-Williams, and Carmelo Anthony have agreed to new contracts as NBA free agency begins.

NBA Free Agency began Friday night and a trio of former Syracuse Basketball stars already have agreed to contracts less than twenty-four hours later. According to ESPN and The Athletic  Jerami Grant, Michael Carter-Williams, and Carmelo Anthony are off the free-agent market.

Friday night Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Jerami Grant was on his way to Detroit on a three-year $60 million deal. Grant’s last contract was his previously high payday making $27 million through three years, this time he will average 74% of that total a season. Grant was the first big acquisition for the new Detroit Pistons’ General Manager Troy Weaver.

Weaver was a former Orange assistant coach from 2000-2004 before heading to the pros. Weaver with a solid NBA resume netted his first General Manager Job in the league. Weaver was with the Orange during a pivotal time in Syracuse history. Weaver was with Syracuse during the 2002-2003 National Championship team and was the lead recruiter for Anthony to bring him to Central New York.

Weaver’s eye for talent has been a key to his successful career so far as he used his success in being one of the first on Anthony to lead him to a job as the Head Scout with the Utah Jazz before moving up the front office ranks with the Oklahoma City Thunder. In Oklahoma City Weaver pushed for the Thunder to draft Russell Westbrook fourth overall which was seen as a massive reach at the time.

Weaver has been busy reshaping the Pistons this week, his first opportunity to make moves as the head guy. Detroit has been in numerous trades since the night of the NBA Draft. On Friday night they also had reported agreements with four frontcourt players including Grant. The new frontcourt additions should not impact Grant negatively. Charania reported in addition that Grant received a similar offer from his former team Denver but a bigger role in Detroit was the difference-maker.

Charania reported on Saturday about the Carter-Williams signing. Carter-Williams will return to the Orlando Magic. Carter-Williams has been a member of the Magic since midway through the 2018-2019 season and has carved out a nice role off the bench for them. For a shorthanded Orlando squad in the playoffs last season, Carter-Williams scored 6.6 points while snagging 4 rebounds and handing out 2.4 assists.

Another Orange name went off the board Saturday evening as Anthony has agreed to return to Portland and continue in the quest to help the Trail Blazers compete in the Western Conference. Anthony was signed after a year off by Portland after injuries hampered the Blazers early in the season. Anthony scored over 15 points a game in a diminished role for the former All-Star but started all 58 regular-season and 5 playoff games he appeared in. Anthony told Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune in January of 2020 that he would like to retire with the Trail Blazers.

With Grant, Carter-Williams, and Anthony off the board only one final former Syracuse Basketball player who played in the NBA a year ago is awaiting a new deal. That is Dion Waiters who appeared in 10 regular-season games with the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers.