The Portland Trail Blazers have started the season 1-1 with a heartbreaking loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves and a recent blowout win over the Golden State Warriors. The most consistent standout performer so far has been none other than veteran forward Jerami Grant.
No, that wasn't an oversight. It's really Jerami Grant.
The guy who averaged 14.4 points on 37.3% shooting from the field last season. The guy who lost the starting lineup battle to Shaedon Sharpe to begin the season.
Grant is just 31 years old, suggesting that he was always capable of positive regression after a lackluster 2024-25 season. If these first two games are any indication, that's precisely what is happening.
Jerami Grant is having a bounce-back season for Blazers
His body language and interview answers suggested that he was upset about the bench demotion, which shouldn't come as a surprise considering Grant previously said he "doesn't really expect" to come off the bench at Blazers media day. But credit Grant: in true veteran fashion, he harnessed that energy for good, resulting in two impressive performances.
He recorded 29 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field in Portland's loss to Minnesota, and followed it up with 22 points on 6-of-10 shooting in their win over Golden State. That's a particularly encouraging sign considering how much Grant struggled with his efficiency last season.
Given the opposite directions Grant and Sharpe have been trending to start the season, it should already make interim head coach Tiago Splitter reconsider the starting five going forward. But regardless of whether Grant ultimately earns his starting role back, there's a more critical long-term factor at play here: Grant improving his perceived market value around the league.
The Blazers signed Grant to an absurd five-year, $160 million deal back in 2023. They still owe him over $103 million for the next three seasons. That is, unless they can find a team willing to take on that contract.
That previously seemed to be an impossible scenario, as the only way the Blazers could find a Grant trade partner would be to attach significant future assets to incentivize a team like the Brooklyn Nets to take on his contract, for example. A rebuilding Portland team doesn't want to sacrifice its future to offload Grant, which is why he's still on the team. However, with how Grant has looked to start the season, it does make it increasingly likely that they'd eventually be able to find some sort of deal. Perhaps a borderline contender desperate for a roster upgrade would be willing to overlook the financial burden -- a team like the Los Angeles Lakers or Milwaukee Bucks, for instance.
It remains to be seen if this is actually feasible, but one thing is already clear: Grant is no longer the worst contract in the association. That alone is a massive boost for Portland's future outlook.