3 Biggest overreactions to week 1 of the Portland Trail Blazers’ season

Jerami Grant will have a major shooting regression

In terms of pure scoring, Jerami Grant’s best season came 2020-21 when he was the No. 1 option on a Pistons team that finished 20-52. In terms of meaningful scoring, and efficient scoring, Grant’s best season was last year with the Trail Blazers.

The former Syracuse star averaged 20.5 points per game, the second-highest of his career, but it was the way he scored that stood out.

Grant is a career 35.7 percent shooter from three. Last year, he shot 40.1 percent, the first time he’s ever eclipsed the 40 percent mark. He shot 47.5 percent from the floor on 14.5 attempts while averaging the most minutes of his career. Jerami settled into the perfect role for him: He was the No. 3 option on offense with the potential to score like a No. 2 on any given night.

Through the first week of the 2023-24 season, Grant is averaging 18.2 ppg, but his efficiency is atrocious. He’s shooting 38 percent from the floor and a miserable 24 percent from three on 5.0 attempts a night.

Is it safe to assume last year was an aberration for the 10-year pro? Maybe. But it’s an overreaction to conclude after five games that there’s a major regression coming, and Grant is going to be a subpar shooter for the entire season.