Overpaid: Jerami Grant
Grant received a massive five-year $160 million contract from the Trail Blazers this summer, which is set to pay him $27.5 million in year one. It is a $6.5 million raise from what he earned last season and has a $36.4 million player option for the 2027-28 season.
Many viewed it as a shocking contract and a massive overpay for the 29-year-old. The Athletic’s John Hollinger projected him (subscription required) to get $18.5 million per season before the agreement was reached, but his deal has an average annual value (AAV) of $32 million.
The Trail Blazers were doing whatever they could to keep Damian Lillard happy, and it was not enough. If the seven-time All-Star gets traded this offseason, Grant’s deal will look even worse on Portland’s cap sheet over the next five years.
There is some worry about the backend of the contract as Grant will be 33 in the final year if he opts in. Jerami Grant is a productive role player that teams value, but this could be viewed like the Tobias Harris contract in Philadelphia in a few years.
Will the Portland Trail Blazers look to trade him if a Damian Lillard gets shipped out of Portland? It could be in the team’s best interest if they decide to enter a full rebuild.