Jerami Grant, 31, is the oldest player on the Portland Trail Blazers roster. He is still owed over $100 million over the next three seasons, assuming Grant picks up his player option in 2027-28.
That's not an ideal combination for a rebuilding Blazers team that entered this season with the second-youngest roster in the NBA.
Their only other contracts beyond next season are rookie deals and Deni Avdija, arguably the best contract in the entire league. Because of this, Grant is the one player the Blazers must trade by any means necessary this offseason to gain more financial flexibility, particularly in the 2026 offseason.
Why the Blazers might be stuck with Jerami Grant
The Blazers' young core primarily led their exciting end-of-season stretch, with key veterans being shut down. That proved that the talent gap between their veterans and youth has officially closed (which is also why they couldn't embrace a full-on tank for Cooper Flagg this season).
The Blazers must embrace this new era with their young core leading the way. They have taken some strides towards that, with Avdija and Toumani Camara emerging as set-in-stone starters. But that means that Grant is either taking a starting role from Shaedon Sharpe, or the Blazers are paying someone over $100 million to come off the bench.
Neither are ideal options, especially considering Grant is coming off a down season where he averaged 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on inefficient 37/37/85 shooting splits.
In order to avoid this pick-your-position scenario, general manager Joe Cronin needs to fix his biggest mistake by trading Grant this summer. However, that's going to be easier said than done.
Every reason the Blazers should trade Grant -- age, contract, and declining play -- is precisely why it's hard to view him as a positive asset around the league. That's not even factoring in that he's more injury-prone than many would believe, exceeding 60 games in just one of his past five seasons (some of which can be attributed to Portland shutting him down as well).
Last summer, Cronin asked for two first-round picks for Grant, but his market has taken a complete 180 since then. To get off Grant, Portland may now need to attach valuable assets. If that is the case, Cronin could deem his trade value not worth it, meaning Portland would be stuck with Grant for years to come.
Grant’s massive contract may not be as burdensome, with the salary cap set to increase by ten percent next season. However, his declining efficiency and one-dimensional game are serious concerns. Unless Grant has a bounce-back season, his value will continue sinking. And it might already be too late. Cronin’s steep asking price may have backed the Blazers into an inescapable corner.