Jerami Grant has been forced back into a starting role recently due to the Portland Trail Blazers' injury crisis. But this stretch should be further confirmation that Grant is more valuable coming off the bench, providing scoring and shot-creation for a second unit that desperately needs it.
Credit Chauncey Billups for making the switch to start Shaedon Sharpe over Grant this season, and interim head coach Tiago Splitter for maintaining that decision. But frankly, it was a move that needed to be made last year, when Grant was averaging 14.4 points while shooting just 37.3% from the field.
Grant has had a resurgent 2025-26 season, averaging 19.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists on much more reasonable 44/39/86 shooting splits. However, given Portland's rebuilding timeline and long-term approach, it's clear the 31-year-old is not a priority.
Grant's demotion paves way for career seasons from Blazers' young core
He wouldn't still be here if he weren't deemed a negative asset around the league, and the Blazers don't want to trade assets just to salary dump at this point. Could that perception of Grant change around the league with his improved play? It's at least worth exploring by February's trade deadline. Perhaps a team will see the early-season success the Toronto Raptors have had following their Brandon Ingram deal and want to add a lengthy shot creator of their own.
The Blazers should hope that's the case, as moving Grant would proactively solve many of their financial problems down the road, including retaining and upgrading their promising young core. But they shouldn't count on it. If Grant remains on the roster past the Feb. 5 deadline, the Blazers should continue making their young core a priority ahead of him, regardless of whether he maintains this improved play throughout the season.
One issue hindering Portland's rebuild in recent years has been the lack of clarity about its timeline. Veterans not only remained on the roster far too long, but they also cut into valuable developmental opportunities by taking roles and minutes away from their youth. The Blazers somewhat addressed this problem over the offseason, moving on from Anfernee Simons and Deandre Ayton to clear up the backcourt hierarchy and give Donovan Clingan a starting role. Grant was the one player they ideally would've also moved on from, but simply couldn't.
But it's nice that, even though Grant remains on the roster, the Blazers have finally prioritized their young core. That's contributed to both Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe having career years, with the former even making a strong All-Star case.
The Blazers are slated to have Scoot Henderson, Holiday, and Matisse Thybulle all back by the new year. At that point, Splitter will have to reevaluate the starting lineup and rotations, as this is going to be an entirely different team with Scoot back in the equation.
It's essential that Splitter keep Grant in this bench role. General manager Joe Cronin has emphasized a long-term approach, and the Blazers are finally aligned with their roster vision and timeline this season. Grant is the most prominent example of that mindset shift. It's a move they should've made earlier, but it's better late than never, especially if Grant is truly stuck on this roster for years to come.