The Feb. 5 trade deadline is fast approaching, meaning the Portland Trail Blazers' front office will soon be forced to decide what direction they want to take this up-and-coming roster. Portland could be viewed as a buyer and look add more shooting to help them make a playoff push, for example. But they could also use the deadline to take a step back in the short term to improve their future outlook. If that is the path they ultimately take, trading Jerami Grant is the obvious move.
Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes recently suggested a move every team would make if the deadline were today. For Portland, that move was trading Grant "for financial reasons."
"Portland should be aggressive in shopping Grant, if only for financial reasons. Shaedon Sharpe's extension kicks in next year, and Scoot Henderson will be eligible to sign his own new deal this summer. Deni Avdija's well-below-market salary offers breathing room, but Portland can add even more flexibility by turning Grant into someone on a shorter deal," Hughes writes.
Blazers should trade Jerami Grant for financial reasons
Grant is owed $32 million this season. That complicates a midseason trade in terms of making the salaries match, as teams have much more roster flexibility in the offseason. But if the Blazers do decide to shop Grant, their odds of finding a trade partner have drastically increased compared to last season.
There was a point last year when it was debatable whether Portland had the biggest negative assist in the association. Grant averaged 14.4 points while shooting an inefficient 37.3% from the field, an issue that was compounded by his inability to impact winning outside of scoring.
As a result of that declining play (and Shaedon Sharpe's progression), Grant was demoted to a bench role this season. He's not only handled that role well, but he's also thrived in it.
Grant is providing much-needed shot creation on a Blazers bench that consists of several defensive-minded role players. He's in the midst of a bounce-back season, averaging 19.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists on 44/39/86 shooting splits.
Because of the value Grant provides off the bench, trading him would be a significant blow for Portland's immediate playoff hopes. They currently remain in the playoff picture with a .500 record, and losing one of their best players is only going to make that uphill battle even steeper.
However, Blazers general manager Joe Cronin has consistently taken a long-term approach with this rebuild. Given Grant's contract and resurgent play, now is the perfect time for the Blazers to move him to gain more financial flexibility in the future. A team like Milwaukee or potentially even Golden State, after the brutal Jimmy Butler injury, could be desperate enough to upgrade their roster to look past his contract.
Grant is only getting older and more expensive. It's uncertain if the Blazers will have this great an opportunity to trade him again, especially if he reverts to his 2024-25 self. They can't afford to take on that unnecessary risk that comes with being stuck with his contract, not when they're trying to renegotiate and extend their All-Star Deni Avdija in the coming years.