The Portland Trail Blazers aren’t in a rush to trade arguably the best player on their team, Jerami Grant. They are finally under the luxury tax after moving Malcolm Brogdon, making Grant’s contract no longer as significant of an issue. Grant’s five-year, $160 million contract signed last offseason was questionable at the time. However, the trade interest for Grant around the league suggests that it’s not destructive.
Even if it’s an overpay for Grant, some teams around the league are in specific situations that could make sense for wanting to acquire him. Specifically, teams that either just missed the playoffs or had an early playoff exit that are looking to add one more established piece to their starting lineup in hopes of getting over that hump.
Per Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype, the Los Angeles Lakers are interested in Jerami Grant. Grant has been linked to Los Angeles in several trade rumors. But because the Blazers aren’t in a rush to trade Grant, general manager Joe Cronin will explore all options and ultimately take the best package available, which may not be the Lakers’ offer.
1. Sacramento Kings
Scotto also mentions that the Sacramento Kings are involved in multiple trade rumors for star players, including Lauri Markkanen and Brandon Ingram. They are looking to add more firepower at their forward positions after missing the playoffs this season in the competitive Western Conference. Sacramento is one piece away from being a team that is a legitimate threat to make a deep playoff run.
Grant is a tier below Markkanen and Ingram in terms of talent and trade value. Of the three players, Grant is the oldest at 30 and the only one without an All-Star appearance. If Sacramento misses out on the more prominent players headlining this offseason, Grant would be an excellent alternative for them to pursue. He’s still talented enough to put them into the playoffs and would come at a cheaper price.
2. Golden State Warriors
Another team heavily involved in the Lauri Markkanen sweepstakes is the Golden State Warriors, according to Scotto. They did a solid job replacing Klay Thompson’s shooting with Buddy Hield, who should thrive in Steve Kerr’s system predicated on off-ball movement and floor spacing. But if last year was any indication, they no longer have the talent on their roster to be the Warriors we are all accustomed to watching, missing the playoffs entirely this past season.
One issue is that, outside of Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, and now Hield, the Warriors surprisingly don’t have many shooters on their roster. Their wings, Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins have extremely redundant skill sets. Golden State could benefit from adding another dimension to their roster by bringing in another forward who is an upgrade in multiple aspects, but primarily as a shooter.
Similarly to the Kings, if the Warriors miss out on acquiring Markkanen or the asking price is too steep for their liking, they could shift their focus to Grant. Curry is now 36, and Draymond Green is 34. Their window is, unfortunately, coming to an end somewhat soon, making this offseason extremely pressing in terms of needing to add more help to surround their two Hall of Famers.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a rollercoaster offseason without even really doing anything. After losing to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, multiple rumors circulated surrounding star players, most notably Darius Garland. Those rumors died down a bit, and barring a relatively unexpected trade, the Cavaliers should likely run in back next season with a similar roster.
However, one area they could improve on and address is their need for wings. They rely on Max Strus and Isaac Okoro, which is a significant disadvantage, especially during playoff time, given the fact that they had to match up against Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers, their other two main competitors in the East, also bolstered their starting wing spots between two of the most notable offseason moves so far, adding Mikal Bridges and Paul George.
Grant shot over 40 percent from beyond the arc this season with the Blazers. He’d provide more reliable floor spacing than Okoro and more two-way versatility than Strus. It would be a significant upgrade and give the Cavaliers an extremely formidable starting five between Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Grant, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. Their lack of depth is still an issue, but this would be a starting five that would have a puncher’s chance against the elite teams in the East.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder
After finishing tied for the best record in the Western Conference at 57-25, the Oklahoma City Thunder continue improving their roster, both from a short-term and long-term standpoint. They recently had two excellent offseason additions in Alex Caruso (traded for Josh Giddey) and Isaiah Hartenstein (signed in free agency),
Additionally, they are stocked with seemingly endless draft capital. If there's a player out there that the Thunder are interested in, they can offer the best package. Given Grant's contract, they don't necessarily need Grant and might even be better off holding out to make more of a blockbuster move for a superstar. But he'd fit in well with the Thunder's emphasis on versatility and floor spacing.
ESPN's Zach Lowe hit the nail on the head with his recent comments regarding the roster the Thunder and GM Sam Presti have built, saying that he would "venture to guess that no team in the history of basketball has been so well positioned for the present and future at the same time."
As Lowe mentioned, the Thunder are in a highly unique position as a true championship contender that is also continuing their rebuilding process. Grant may be the piece that threads the needle for them. He will be cheaper to acquire than a true superstar, meaning they can keep most of their picks for a more considerable trade. But he's also skilled enough to impact their likelihood of winning a championship in the near future.
5. Houston Rockets
For better or worse, the Houston Rockets are accelerating their rebuild, as evidenced by last offseason's signings of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. The Rockets have been previously linked to potential Jerami Grant trades leading up to the 2024 NBA Draft and haven't added another piece since that would suggest their interest in the Blazers' forward has subsided.
Whether they should make a move for someone like Grant is another question, as he's likely not the "needle mover" to put Houston in the same conversation as elite Western Conference teams like the Nuggets, Mavericks, Timberwolves, and Thunder. If they added Grant, they could still be on the outside looking in for next season's playoffs. Still, the Rockets are a realistic landing spot for Grant in terms of it being a possibility.
Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Houston reportedly had their sights set on superstar Kevin Durant after acquiring the Suns' picks from the Brooklyn Nets. But it's unlikely they are able to land someone of that caliber, and Grant may be the piece they ultimately trade for. For the Blazers, Houston has some attractive assets that they could be interested in getting back in return, including forwards Tari Eason or even Cam Whitmore if they were willing to go that route.