Jerami Grant Lands With East Contender in Latest Blocksbuster Trade Proposal

Why hasn't this happened already?

Mar 1, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9) handles the ball as Memphis Grizzlies guard Jordan Goodwin(4) defends during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

The fate of Jerami Grant has long been the top item concerning Portland Trail Blazers fans and the pundits surrounding the team.

And it makes sense. The 3-and-D forward is 30, and trapped on a rebuilding team with four years remaining on his five-season, $160 million contract. Why should he finish up his prime playing for lottery balls?

Ashish Mathur of Hoops Wire has pitched an intriguing possible trade that could satisfy both sides.

In the deal, Portland would send Cleveland Grant, plus second-year frontcout contributors Kris Murray and Duop Reath.

The Blazers, meanwhile, would acquire forwards Caris Levert and Georges Niang, shooting guard Ty Jerome, the Cavaliers' 2031 first round pick, plus seconds in 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028.

If Cleveland acquired Grant, Mathur notes that he would slot in instantly as the club's starting small forward. All-Star point guard Darius Garland and 6-foot-3 All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell occupy Cleveland's starting backcourt currently, while All-Defensive Team big man Evan Mobley and All-Star Jarrett Allen would start at power forward and center, respectively.

After finishing the year 48-34 and nabbing the Eastern Conference's No. 4 seed, Cleveland squeaked by the young, lengthy, No. 5-seeded Orlando Magic in a narrow seven-game first round playoff series, before falling to the Boston Celtics in a five-game second round series. Boston went on to win its record-breaking 18th league title.

The real question, of course, is: would the addition of Grant be enough to at least put the Cavaliers among the East's elite? Boston returns as the clear favorite to once again represent the conference in the NBA Finals, but the freshly overhauled Philadelphia 76ers and the somewhat-reconfigured New York Knicks are suddenly right behind them, with the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers hovering as possible spoilers (the Miami Heat, despite boasting two All-Star talents in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, have wasted their offseason twiddling their thumbs and letting a key player depart for a rival in now-Sixer Caleb Martin). There is some not-insignificant positional overlap with Cleveland. Mitchell is an atypical two-guard, as a point guard-sized option who is most effective with the ball in his hands. Garland had a down year due mostly to injury, but it remains to be seen if they can reliably thrive together. Mobley may be best suited to play at center, but Allen is the bigger interior presence for now, and still quite talented around the rim in his own right. Even with the defensive switchability and floor-spacing optionality of Grant, it's hard to see this somewhat mismatched bunch somehow overpowering the Celtics, Sixers or Knicks.

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