Jerami Grant didn't fit the Portland Trail Blazers' rebuilding roster from the moment he inked a massive five-year, $160 million deal in 2023. That decision hasn't aged well, with Grant holding arguably the worst contract in the NBA last year.
Fortunately for Portland, their overpaid veteran is in the midst of a bounce-back season, giving them a window to finally fix their mistake. His scoring and efficiency have both increased this season, averaging 19.2 points on 43/38/85 shooting splits.
Grant is still on the books for $102.6 million over the next three years after accounting for a player option. While his improved play still holds value for a Blazers team that suddenly finds itself in the playoff conversation, that's simply too much money to pay someone coming off the bench.
Jerami Grant's bounce-back season boosts trade value at perfect time
The new CBA rules force teams to be much more financially selective, and Grant's contract presents a massive roadblock in what has otherwise been a promising rebuild. Portland can't afford to pay Grant and Jrue Holiday north of a combined $200 million over the next three years. And between the two overpaid veterans, it's clear Holiday is the more impactful player. That makes Grant the odd man out.
With Deni Avdija's rapid ascension, Portland must prioritize its rising star in any decision it makes at the deadline. That not only means finding complementary pieces (shooters), but also improving their financial flexibility. Avdija is significantly outplaying his contract, and the Blazers will eventually have to renegotiate and extend him. Moving Grant is the best way to achieve this.
Even if Portland doesn't get significant assets for him at the deadline, simply swapping him out for a more team-friendly contract should be considered a win at this point. Just last year, that appeared to be an impossible outcome. Grant was a negative asset whom the Blazers couldn't dump without attaching draft capital, which they didn't want to do as a rebuilding team.
While Grant is still overpaid, he's back to being a productive player. That could result in a team like the Milwaukee Bucks being willing to overlook that contract to land an immediate-impact player without sacrificing many future assets, if any.
Grant's rising stock is a promising development for Portland this season, but they must capitalize on this opportunity at the deadline. He's only getting older and more expensive, so who knows if the Blazers will ever get this chance again.