New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Proposal Sends Jerami Grant to Lakers, Blazers Get Capela, Hawks Upgrade Defense

Could the Hawks use a Jerami Grant trade to their advantage and improve their defense?

Mar 3, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9) dribbles against Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins (20) during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The major dominoes of the NBA offseason have likely all fallen, but there are one or two potential moves that could still shake up the offseason.

One of those moves is a possible trade for veteran forward Jerami Grant. The Portland Trail Blazers had a rough season in 2023-24, but Grant stood out as a consistent option for the Blazers. He averaged 21 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game on 57.3% true shooting and 40.2% shooting from beyond the arc on five attempts a game. Grant only played 54 games as a result of a hamstring injury, but should be healthy before next season. Given his age (30) and Portland's desire to rebuild, he stands out as a likely trade candidate.

Los Angeles has been rumored to be very interested in his services. It was reported by Aaron Fentress of the Oregonian on July 30th that the Blazers are likely to move one of guard Anfernee Simons or Grant. During his appearance on Sactown Sports 1140, Fentress had this to say:

“I would be surprised if Jerami Grant or Anfernee Simons, if one of the two is not moved. I was told that that’s definitely the goal, that one of the two would probably be gone before training camp. Both being gone? That might be different. They obviously have time. They can wait until the trade deadline and see if someone else will offer more."

Following up on the report, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports had this to say about a Grant trade during his appearance on "The Good Word with Vincent Goodwill" :

"To your point, yes, the Lakers have, I think, limited options of players who are actually available, who are difference-makers that they could foreseeably go and acquire. To my knowledge, [Jerami Grant] is someone that's been on the radar."

The Atlanta Hawks are not a team that is realistically going to challenge the Lakers for Grant's services. Their two starting forward spots are likely going to Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher, so there simply isn't room for Grant on the roster. With four seasons remaining on a five-year, $160 million contract, it's highly unlikely the Hawks would acquire an expensive wing when they just spent the first overall pick on a wing. However, they do have a logjam at the center position. Clint Capela, Onyeka Okongwu, Cody Zeller and Larry Nance Jr. are all credible options at the 5. One or two of them needs to be moved at some point.

If the Lakers are interested in Grant, the Blazers want to get back draft capital and reasonable contracts for their rebuild and the Hawks want to turn their surplus of centers into more useful rotation options, a three-team trade could make some sense. What would a trade look like?

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks should do or will do. That is all.

Hawks get: Gabe Vincent, Matisse Thybulle, Robert Williams III

Lakers get: Larry Nance Jr, Jerami Grant

Blazers get: Clint Capela, D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2026 first-round pick (top-10 protected)

Why the Hawks would do this deal: Vincent, Thybulle and Williams are all players that would boost the Hawks' defense. Before missing most of last season for the Lakers, Vincent earned a reputation as an excellent point-of-attack defender on guards. Atlanta finished as the fourth-worst team by defensive efficiency and had one of the worst perimeter defenses in the league. A healthy Vincent would be able to frustrate opposing guards, provide some floor spacing and give the Hawks insurance for a Kobe Bufkin injury. Thybulle racks up steals as an opportunistic threat in passing lanes, recording 2.7 steals per 36 minutes. He's shown signs of being a solid three-point shooter, hitting 39% of his threes on four attempts a game after being traded to Portland at the 2022-23 NBA trade deadline. Between Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher and Bogdan Bogdanovic, the Hawks need very little from Thybulle on offense. The biggest wildcard of the deal is Williams - he is a terrifying shot blocker and tenacious rebounder when healthy. He can fill some of the defensive and rebounding responsibilities of Capela.

Why the Hawks would not do this deal: Both Vincent and Williams have significant injury questions. Vincent only played in 11 games for the Lakers after suffering a knee injury and Williams has never been able to stay healthy throughout his career. He played in even less games than Vincent (six games) before missing the season with a knee injury of his own. There's a good chance the Hawks could end up pledging $23 million dollars of their cap space to players that cannot contribute in 2024-25. Thybulle's three-point shot has also fluctuated wildly throughout his time in Portland as he finished last year with a three-point percentage of 34.6% on four attempts over a larger sample size. He's likely closer to a 34% three-point shooter than 38%, which makes him a below-average option from beyond the arc.

Why the Lakers would do this deal: Looking at the options available, Jerami Grant is one of the better options for a third star around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Grant would be able to take advantage of the open looks generated by LA's star duo while also holding his own on defense. He is capable of matching up against bigger wings as a true power foward. Outside of Portland, he has traditionally graded out as a positive defender by defensive box plus-minus. A wing duo of Grant and Rui Hachimura gives the Lakers a pretty formidable brand of size on defense. Giving up Vanderbilt is certainly a blow, but Grant's consistent offensive utility and solid defense should make him a net-positive. They also offload the D'Angelo Russell contract for a player that fits better with their needs as James is now free to play as a true "point forward". Nance is also a good option as a backup center for Davis, bringing a high basketball IQ and passing acumen to a roster vying for a playoff berth in 2024-25.

Why the Lakers would not do this deal: The Lakers have four tradeable first-round picks, so they are not exactly working with a surplus of assets. They have to be careful with their acquistions and Grant is a risky player to bet on if the shot is not falling. He is not much of a passer or rebounder and struggles with consistency as an offensive player. Last season, his field goal percentage was below 40% in 24% of his games. That could be a function of being overtaxed as a primary option, but he is not exactly known for his efficiency. His cap hits are north of $30 million for the next three seasons after 2024-25, so this could be an expensive mistake if Grant cannot increase his efficiency and consistency in a scaled-down role.

Why the Blazers would do this deal: Turning Grant's long-term money into two short-term contracts with D'Angelo Russell and Clint Capela is a good move for Portland's long-term flexibility. They also get a versatile defender in Jarred Vanderbilt for a roster that finished among the NBA's worst defenses. The concerns over Vanderbilt's shot are less important for Portland - he will have ample opportunities to improve on the 29.6% from three-point range he recorded last year. He's also a good offensive rebounder who will give Portland's offense plenty of second chances. Jalen Hood-Schifino is another young guard that the Trail Blazers can take a swing on. Both Russell and Capela have contracts that expire after this season, which bodes well for Portland being able to take on bad contracts for additional pick equity. Even if they could get more picks from another team, landing a pick in the 2026 NBA Draft rather than additional picks in the 2028 and 2029 drafts is good business. Potentially having three picks across two loaded drafts could transform the Trail Blazers' future.

Why the Blazers would not do this deal: If they want two first-round picks for Grant, they simply are not going to do this deal. They also might not want to take on Capela's money because his skillset overlaps with Donovan Clingan, who they just spent a top-10 pick on. This deal would also push them into the tax, which is something that Portland's ownership is not going to want to pay. They would need to make a deal at the deadline in order to duck the tax.