Trail Blazers News: Fresh Deadline for Jerami Grant Trade Predicted

Matt Levine | Aug 6, 2024

The Portland Trail Blazers have found themselves in all sorts of trade rumors this offseason, mainly involving veteran forward Jerami Grant. Grant still has value around the NBA despite his massive contract that has given some teams hesitation to make a move for him.

Portland entered the offseason with a few trade chips in their pocket and Grant remains one of the better ones. He is a true 3-and-D type of player, something all teams are currently searching for to add to the overall roster.

Grant has been linked with the Los Angeles Lakers the most this summer but to this point, nothing has materialized. Los Angeles has been unwilling to send multiple first-round draft picks to Portland in exchange for Grant and the Trail Blazers have set a firm asking price.

According to insider Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian, the Trail Blazers have a goal of trading Grant or guard Anfernee Simons by training camp.

Zach Buckey of Bleacher Report predicted that Grant could be traded by the 2025 trade deadline, adding more fuel to the idea of him being moved.

"Jerami Grant became an obvious candidate as soon as Damian Lillard requested a trade out of Portland—the day after Grant agreed to his five-year, $160 million deal last summer. Both parties have played nice since, but there must be an expiration date on that. Grant may not be blocking some young, high-end forward from seeing the floor, but this rebuild would still be easier to navigate without his contract on the books. As for the swingman himself, one can assume he'd prefer not to spend his 30s buried deep down the league standings. This situation seems untenable. And even the Blazers might know that."

Grant is owed $29.7 million for this coming season and his contract goes up each of the next few years as well. By the 2027-28 year, Grant is scheduled to be paid $36 million when he will be 33 years old.

Teams may be hesitant to make a move for Grant due to this contract but the Trail Blazers could always throw something in a deal to make it easier for an opposing side to take on the contract. Grant produced well last year, posting 21.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.

He also shot 40.2 percent from beyond the 3-point line, adding impact while on the court. It remains to be seen if Portland when move him but Grant seems likely to be heading somewhere else sooner rather than later.