We're two months away from the NBA trade deadline and Jerami Grant's name is already popping up in rumors. Most recently, those rumors have been in connection with the Milwaukee Bucks, who seem eager to add talent in a last ditch effort to keep Giannis happy.
So, we know that there's at least preliminary interest in Grant — when one team is vocally interested in a specific player, more interest usually follows. But is there any interest from the Blazers to deal Grant? This is the question that will dictate the Blazers' entire strategy in the coming months. Unfortunately for Joe Cronin and the rest of the front office, there might not be a clear right answer.
Because, as we saw on Sunday, Grant can be the best player on the Blazers in games they win. He scored 35 points in the Blazers' (third) win against the Warriors. There isn't a wing on this team who can replicate that kind of production. The question is whether the Blazers would want anyone to — or if they're okay fully moving into the youth movement.
Is there any harm in having Jerami Grant on the Blazers?
Since Jerami Grant signed his deal, I've kept the same outlook on his contract; why not? I know signing veterans is never part of the thought process of a "rebuild," but teams need good players. If talented vets want to sign in Portland, the answer should always be yes.
And now, about halfway through the deal, my outlook remains the same. Grant isn't going to single-handedly lift this team out of lottery territory, but he also gives a (somewhat) reliable option scoring on the wing. He can be frustrating, as we've seen over the past few weeks, but the other options are tons more Kris Murray and Rayan Rupert. That would be consistent, I guess, just in a way that fans don't want.
You can make the argument that Grant is taking up tons of the team's cap space, doesn't match the timeline of the core, and isn't quite productive enough to justify 30-plus million dollars per year. I can't really argue any of those points — and I still think it makes more sense to keep him around.
We've seen how things look when this team really, really leans into the tank. I probably don't need to remind you, but it's not particularly fun. Let's try not to go back if possible.