For the first time in years, Portland Trail Blazers fans aren't desperately looking forward to the NBA Draft. Portland already has a promising young core in place and finds itself firmly in the play-in conversation out west. This upcoming draft finally feels like a luxury to add to an existing roster rather than a necessity for building it from the ground up. With that being the case, Portland can now focus on targeting draft prospects who will upgrade the current roster, whether that's from a talent, financial, or fit standpoint.
Depending on what direction the Blazers' front office decides to take between now and the Feb. 5 trade deadline, there may be no player who is more urgent to replace than their overpaid veteran forward, Jerami Grant.
ESPN's Jeremy Woo is on the same page in ESPN's latest 2026 NBA mock draft. With the No. 11 overall pick, the Blazers land Grant's replacement in the form of Michigan's talented frontcourt piece, Yaxel Lendeborg.
"The Blazers could use a player in Lendeborg's mold to space the court and provide lineup versatility -- ostensibly a less expensive way to address Jerami Grant's current role. Portland will convey its pick to Chicago only if it makes the playoffs," Woo writes.
Yaxel Lendeborg would be an ideal replacement for Jerami Grant
Lendeborg is averaging 14.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks as a senior. As Woo notes, at 23, he's expected to have a relatively limited ceiling. But the Blazers already swung for the fences with Yang Hansen in last year's draft. It would be refreshing to know they're adding a more surefire asset in this one. Given how Portland has played this season, they may be more inclined to finally accelerate their rebuilding timeline. Landing a prospect who is ready to make an immediate impact suddenly makes more sense than it has in years past.
Like Grant, Lendeborg's length gives him the positional versatility to play both forward spots and even small-ball five for stretches. That should not only make the Blazers feel more comfortable about finally offloading Grant's massive contract, but also help them move on from other unreliable frontcourt pieces.
Duop Reath and Robert Williams III are both on expiring contracts and could land elsewhere this offseason, if not earlier. Reath has fallen out of the rotation, while Williams unfortunately remains an injury liability. Portland could land a much cheaper alternative to Grant in Lendeborg, who can also provide them a more reliable frontcourt piece than their current options (Hansen, Reath, Williams).
One potential roadblock that could prevent Portland from landing this ideal Grant replacement? They owe the Chicago Bulls a lottery-protected first-round pick, which is quietly becoming increasingly likely to convey, given how the Blazers have played as of late.
It's kind of a win-win scenario. Either their young core is already good enough to make the playoffs, proving they don't need this incoming first-round pick. Or, they add someone of Yaxel's caliber to a young roster, setting them up to make playoff noise next season -- with or without Jerami Grant.