One of the most engaging aspects of the NBA—and sports in general—is the debate over player rankings. Heading into the 2024-25 season, Jerami Grant stands out as the Portland Trail Blazers' highest-ranked player on four of the five major sports outlets. But if Grant is still on the Blazers this time next year, there's a strong possibility that there's no clear consensus on who their best player is.
Grant's ceiling is limited as his game is already developed. His impact on winning may not be as significant as some of the other up-and-coming players who can contribute in multiple aspects, including Anfernee Simons with his shooting and improved playmaking, Deandre Ayton with his scoring and rebounding, or Deni Avdija with his well-rounded game. Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe could eventually get into that conversation due to their All-Star-level potential, but they still seem years away from piecing it all together.
Ultimately, player rankings are in the eye of the beholder in terms of subjectivity and what each analyst values more.
Where Jerami Grant ranks heading into 2024-25
Here is where Grant stacks up among the league's top players, according to ESPN, The Ringer, CBS Sports, Action Network, and HoopsHype:
ESPN | The Ringer | CBS Sports | Action Network | HoopsHype | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | 80 | 74 | 78 | N/A | 80 |
Ranked behind | Fred VanVleet | Zach LaVine | Josh Hart | Deni Avdija | Jaden McDaniels |
Ranked ahead of | Myles Turner | Myles Turner | Austin Reaves | N/A | Josh Hart |
The only top 100 ranking where Grant didn't make the cut was Action Network. Similarly to Grant, Simons is an "honorable mention" on Action Network but makes every other outlet's ranking.
Avdija was the only Blazers player to make the Action Network ranking, coming in at No. 100. That was the only list amongst the five outlets where Avdija landed within the top 100. Ayton also made one appearance on the rankings, coming in at No. 92 on HoopsHype.
Outside of Action Network, there's agreement on Grant being the Blazers' best player heading into 2024-25, as he's consistently ranked over Simons on every other site. Still, Grant's average ranking was only 78, pointing to a larger issue for the Blazers - their lack of star power.
Blazers still missing a go-to star
Last season, Grant averaged 21 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists on 45/40/82 shooting splits. Every contending team would love to have someone like Grant who fits in seamlessly to any system, given his length, versatility, and floor spacing ability.
The issue from the Blazers' standpoint is that he's not impactful enough outside of being a scorer to be the best player on the team due to his lack of playmaking and rebounding. Because of this, he's better suited as a third or fourth piece on a contender.
Grant's age (30) and contract ($29.8 million this season) only further support the fact that the Blazers shouldn't consider him a piece to rebuild around. It also means two things that go hand in hand with each other. First, they should strongly consider trading him away while they still can find value from a contending team willing to look past Grant's massive contract to add a top-100 player to their starting lineup.
They should also bottom out in 2024-25 in hopes of landing a top draft pick and generational prospect like Cooper Flagg. Until the Blazers land a top 25-level player, it will be an extremely steep hill to climb in the competitive Western Conference, no matter how deep their roster is.