Trading Jerami Grant is the biggest hurdle preventing the Portland Trail Blazers from achieving their perfect offseason. But one pipe dream solution to solve Portland's Grant problem could run through a surprising team: the Charlotte Hornets.
Grant was recently named an ambitious trade target for the Hornets by Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes. As expected, many of the ambitious targets for other teams are players that fans would actually be excited to add, such as LaMelo Ball for the Blazers. Even the rebuilding Brooklyn Nets got Ja Morant as their player.
Portland should try to dump Jerami Grant to Charlotte
In typical Hornets fashion, they received the short end of the stick. We can't help but laugh. However, it does make sense, given Charlotte's rebuilding situation.
"When does targeting a negative-value contract with draft picks attached count as operating ambitiously? When it's the Charlotte Hornets doing the targeting. Under the Jeff Peterson-led front office, the Hornets have taken on a far more patient approach than the previous regime. Chasing the contract of 31-year-old Jerami Grant, which still has three years and nearly $103 million left on it, would solidify them as long-term thinkers," wrote Hughes.
To make the deal work financially, the Blazers could send Grant for Ball or Miles Bridges in a one-for-one swap. Or, they could bring Jusuf Nurkic back on an expiring deal in a package that includes one of Grant Williams, Josh Green, or Josh Okogie.
Regarding getting a deal done, Hughes suggests one or two first-round picks coming back to the Hornets just for dumping Grant. The exact details would depend on which player(s) the Hornets include.
Ball is a polarizing star mainly because of his flashy plays and Charlotte's lack of success, but he'd still be an intriguing trade option to give Portland a significant backcourt upgrade and that go-to player they've been missing. We're all for it.
Trading Grant should be at the top of Blazers' offseason wishlist
The Blazers have other veterans who are overpaid or impeding the development of Portland's young core. But there's a light at the end of the tunnel with every other trade candidate besides Grant.
Deandre Ayton, Anfernee Simons, Matisse Thybulle (player option), and Robert Williams III are other players that either don't fit the Blazers' timeline or shouldn't be considered part of their long-term plans. But they all are much easier to move because they are all on expiring deals. Outside of Ayton's $35.6 million contract, they are also all on reasonable deals.
It's unlikely Portland will trade all these veterans, but in the worst-case scenario, they walk next summer. In 2026-27, the only players currently under contract are those on rookie deals, Deni Avdija (who's essentially on a rookie deal as he's set to make less than Scoot Henderson), and... Grant.
The Blazers still owe Grant over $100 million for the next three seasons. What were they thinking? That massive contract was a half-hearted attempt to convince Damian Lillard to stay. Now, it's limiting Portland's rebuilding season as they will have difficulty extending all their core pieces while pursuing external upgrades.
Trading him to Charlotte may be a pipe dream, but it’s worth exploring. The Blazers desperately need a team to help get them out of this Grant debacle.