The 2024-25 NBA season is fast approaching! One of the key dates for the Portland Trail Blazers fans to monitor this year in particular will be the February 6 trade deadline. It's clear the Blazers still have a largely unfinished roster this early on in their rebuild as they continue to stockpile assets. They didn't have to rush to move assets this summer as the Malcolm Brogdon trade got them under the luxury tax and cleared up their backcourt logjam for the most part.
But now, there are other areas of their roster that GM Joe Cronin needs to address. These trades could happen before the trade deadline for various reasons, depending on the player: they could be at peak trade value, have a deal that's close to expiring, don't fit into the Blazers' rebuilding plans, or are impeding the development of key pieces with their spot on the depth chart.
1. Jerami Grant
The average age of the Blazers' roster heading into this season is 24 years old, making them one of the youngest teams in the league. Jerami Grant is still considered in his prime at 30, yet he is the oldest player on Portland's team. He's also owed $96 million for the next three seasons, with a $36.4 million player option in 2027-28. Now is as good of a time as any to trade Grant. His contract will only worsen as he ages, even accounting for the projected salary cap increase.
Additionally, there are not many players as good as Grant left out on the market. The Blazers need to strike while the timing is right. The longer they wait, the more they risk other players becoming available and losing trade leverage.
The Los Angeles Lakers are a team strongly linked to Grant, as it's clear they don't have enough talent surrounding LeBron James and Anthony Davis to get out of the Western Conference.
However, several other teams with playoff aspirations would make sense for Grant as a trade partner. One of the many benefits of having Grant is that he seamlessly fits in just about anywhere as a versatile 6-foot-7 wing who shot over 40 percent from deep last season.