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Over the past few seasons, two names have been at the top of the fan wishlist for the Portland Trail Blazers to trade: Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant. The first wish was granted in June when Simons was sent to the Boston Celtics for Jrue Holiday. Attention then turned to Grant over the summer, but fans came to a tough realization.
Coming off a down season where his statistics regressed significantly, Grant has been a lightning rod for criticism since signing his five-year, $160 million dollar contract in the summer of 2023. Many fans have expressed various frustrations with Grant. Sounding off that his contract is too long, and for too much. Espousing he’s an expensive veteran who shouldn’t be on a young rebuilding team. His usage and role were taking away from the youngsters’ opportunities. The list could go on. Grant finished the 2024-25 season, starting and playing in only 47 games, while posting his lowest numbers in five seasons.
His scoring dropped from 21 ppg to 14 ppg. His FG% went from 45% to 37%, and he carried a net rating of minus-5. Coupling last season’s regression with the fact Grant had three years and $103 million left on his deal, there was concern that his contract was now an untradable albatross. It was a fingers-crossed hope he could show last season was just a bad year, and not a sign of rapid decline.
Through all that criticism and speculation, Jerami Grant has answered the bell.
The decision to bring Grant off the bench was, hands down, the correct call. Grant thrived in a 6th man role during the first 12 games of the season. In 27 minutes per game, Grant got off to a blistering start, averaging 18 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists while shooting 40% from 3, with an excellent true shooting percentage (65%.) He also carried a plus-8 net rating during those first dozen games. Grant took to the 6th man role so naturally, that he was on track to be a 6th Man of the Year finalist.
He’s demonstrated that last season was an aberration, and adjusting to a reserve role makes him highly effective.
The Trail Blazers then suffered a plethora of ongoing injuries, forcing Grant back into the starting lineup for the past 10 games. In those games, Grant’s minutes have increased to 33 mpg. His scoring has gone up 3 points, to the customary 21 ppg we’re used to seeing from him. He’s even pulling down 4.8 rebounds per game, and a career-high 3.0 assists! However, his impact on the game has taken a noticeable hit.
His 3pt% is almost at 41%, but his overall FG% has dropped from 48% coming off the bench to 41.4% in 6 more minutes as a starter. His net rating has also taken a major backward swing going from plus-8 as a reserve to minus-2.3 as a starter, getting closer to that minus-5 net rating last season (all as a starter). The negative impact seems to be on the defensive end, as teams are scoring 121.9 points per 100 possessions when Grant is on the floor versus 112.1 points when he’s off the court for the season.
What this tells us is that Jerami Grant as a starter in 33 minutes per game is a less impactful player than as the 6th man in 27 minutes. When he has to take a leap in the pecking order, his efficiency drops. That begs the question: Is Jerami Grant the right fit for the Blazers as an expensive, yet high-end, 6th man once the team’s health balances out? Or should the Blazers be proactive and move him while he’s done a great job of rehabbing his value as a versatile scoring wing?
So What is Grant’s Value?
If you could subtract $8-10 million in Average Annual Value and one less year from his contract, I think Grant could be a much more sought after trade prospect. However, with the new CBA being so punitive when crossing the first, and especially second, salary cap aprons; teams must scrutinize how much a role player’s salary is in relation to its percentage of the salary cap.
Grant makes $32 million this year, which is 20.7% of the NBA’s 2025-26 salary cap. He’s still owed $70.6M for the next two seasons, and turns 32 in March. Those numbers make for a big trade pill to swallow for most teams. Trading Grant is going to require specific conditions to unfold, paired with the right timing.
Trades in the NBA typically require at least one of the following conditions:
- A superstar player requests a trade
- A headcase player needs to be moved
- A player is nearing the end of their contract and is a threat to leave in free agency. Or the player and/or team have no intention of moving forward together once the contract expires, so trading them makes sense for at least one or both parties.
- Players who make up the trade package for the #1 aforementioned condition
- Teams decide to blow it up and proactively shop their players.
Beyond one of those conditions, it’s rare to see a talent-for-talent swap like when the Timberwolves sent Karl Anthony-Towns to the Knicks for Julius Randle last year. You don’t often see trades for productive veteran players on multi-year contracts, who are happy where they are and good teammates.
That’s why I don’t think we’re going to see Grant dealt UNLESS he falls under condition #4. When and if he’s traded, Grant will likely be used as the needed salary, while also serving as a solid vet who can assist in a rebuild or add to an already established core. I suspect one of Scoot Henderson or Shaedon Sharpe — plus draft capital — could be potential adds to a Grant trade package if the Blazers shoot for the moon. From a salary standpoint, that would allow them to target most high-salaried players.
Which Players Could the Blazers Target?
Now that it’s being rumored Giannis Antetokounmpo could perhaps be on the trade block this upcoming trade deadline, the market is going to be mostly frozen until that is handled. Numerous teams will be trying to build trade packages for the Milwaukee Bucks. The Blazers definitely have the right assets to be involved in a blockbuster, multi-team trade, with Grant being a central piece. While I think the Blazers could be a darkhorse contender in the Giannis Sweepstakes, I find it more likely their involvement would be as a facilitating 3rd or 4th team; with Grant and “stuff” going out for new stuff coming in from all of the player/picks movement.
It’s being said Zion Williamson has been made available by the New Orleans Pelicans for a “cheap” but fair price. Could the Blazers explore a Grant-led package for him? If the Pelicans are shifting to build around rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, having a sharpshooting vet who’s experienced in that situation could be good for their development. For the Blazers, Zion gives them the potential to capture lightning in a bottle. Next season, if they could have all of Damian Lillard, Deni Avdija, Zion, Sharpe, and Donovan Clingan on the floor as healthy as possible when it mattered most, they would be an unstoppable offensive force. Luckily, Williamson’s contract comes with a lot of protection for the team over the next few seasons. If he flounders, the Blazers can cut him, and recapture $40M. Would it be worth possibly losing Grant for nothing for the chance to play the Zion Lottery?
It’s also been reported by ESPN that Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball, and Trae Young are all likely up for grabs. The words “negative value” were used in describing their worth. The Blazers are hurting for guards due to injuries, even as they currently roster some big names in their backcourt. Trae Young is on a potential expiring contract (he has a $49M player option for 2026-27), and it’s been proposed that he and the Atlanta Hawks are headed for a divorce. Grant and Matisse Thybulle make the salaries work. Could you root for Young (coming back from a MCL sprain) for a half-season run with Deni, Sharpe, and Co.?
Dig if you will a picture…a starting 5 of Trae Young, Jrue Holiday, Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, and Donovan Clingan for a single playoff run. The worst case, it’s an adventurous half-season with Young, and then he leaves in free agency. Or (gulp!) he picks up his option. In that case, the Blazers would have a massive headache in sorting out their guards next year. I can’t envision Joe Cronin being interested in Young unless he is suddenly ready to give up on Scoot, and Dame is looking shaky behind the scenes as he rehabs to get back on the court.
Would the Blazers think they could fix Ja Morant with a Grant-led package? His game has deteriorated at an alarming rate, marred by on- and off-court problems and injuries. His shooting has regressed to pretty awful, and he’s mostly stopped attacking the rim with reckless abandon. One has to wonder if Morant (27) is the ultimate “just needs a change of scenery” player to rediscover his former star self, or if the freefall continues no matter what, ala Ben Simmons. The Blazers need more shooters, not less. Plus, Portland would run into the same over-crowded guard rotation that Young’s presence would bring, so this would be a tough sell given Morant has three years and $126 million still owed.
There’s some big names that appear to be coming on the trade market all at once, however, the collective warts among them would make even the wickedest of witches cringe. One thing feels certain: If the Blazers want to get involved in some capacity, they should have multiple options to explore during this trade window.
The Blazers aren’t going to have a full backcourt again for sometime, but when they do, they really need to see more of Jerami Grant in the 6th man role. If he can maintain a high level of play in 25-27 minutes per game off the bench, there’s a way that can work with a full-strength Blazers team. If that’s the case, perhaps Grant is where he’s supposed to be. For now.