Portland Trail Blazers fans may have differing opinions about how general manager Joe Cronin should navigate their rebuild, as he can take their roster in several different directions. But there's one thing we can all get behind: Jerami Grant and his massive contract need to go.
Unfortunately, that's easier said than done. Zach Lowe recently brought up the bleak market for Grant on The Zach Lowe Show, saying, "I haven't heard jack squat about Jerami Grant and trades, so I don't know if there's any traction there."
Blazers missed their ideal window to trade Jerami Grant
Just last summer, Cronon had an ambitious asking price of two first-round picks for the veteran forward. That backfired, as it's likely that the Blazers have already missed their trade window.
The market for Grant has shifted drastically. No team should want to take on his salary, owed north of $100 million over the next three seasons (accounting for a player option in 2027-28). Not after he's coming off a down year, averaging just 14.4 points on inefficient 37/37/85 shooting splits while providing little value outside of scoring.
Under the new CBA, teams are much more financially crunched and must be selective with who they are handing out these massive deals. These factors now make Grant a negative asset.
Not only will the Blazers not be able to add as many key pieces in free agency, but they also have contract extensions on the horizon. Portland could even have to pick between which members of their core to keep around, similar to what teams like the Houston Rockets are faced with. Freeing up that contract will be essential, as keeping Grant around could limit Portland's rebuilding ceiling.
Where does Portland go from here?
The team with the most cap space is the Brooklyn Nets, with Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson as the only players on their roster who owe more than $6 million for next season. Brooklyn also has Milwaukee's No. 19 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Portland should try to see if they can trade back from 11 to 19 if it means dumping Grant.
If the Blazers are involved in a blockbuster trade this summer, Deandre Ayton is much easier to include as the salary filler, thanks to his expiring contract. That means the Blazers will have to get creative to try and move Grant, whether it's trading back with the Nets or an alternative route.
But the reality is that more likely than not, Grant will remain on the Blazers' roster heading into the 2025-26 season. Perhaps he even has a bounce-back season and helps Portland in their quest to return to the playoffs.
But if next season starts on a similar note to last year, Chauncey Billups should strongly consider bringing Grant off the bench. Trading Grant would be ideal and what's best for Portland in the short and long term. But if that's not an option, bringing Grant off the bench is the next best thing.