The Portland Trail Blazers have a trio of promising young perimeter players ready to take the reins in 2025-26. Unfortunately, the hope that Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, and Shaedon Sharpe will make a smooth transition into becoming full-time starters took a hit at Media Day.
When asked about potentially coming off of the bench during the 2025-26 season, Trail Blazers veteran Jerami Grant made it clear that he doesn't expect to do so.
Grant, 31, was a high-profile signing for the Trail Blazers in 2023. He agreed to a five-year, $160 million deal that clearly displayed the type of value that Portland believed he'd be able to provide. Two years later, however, a youth movement has complicated his place in the rotation.
According to Blazers inside Sean Highkin, Grant made it clear that he still sees himself as a starter, stating that he doesn't expect to come off the bench during the 2025-26 season.
Jerami Grant on potentially coming off the bench: "I don't really expect that."
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) September 29, 2025
It's understandable for a player to back themselves as a starter, but there doesn't appear to be a logical outcome in which Grant starts in 2025-26.
Jerami Grant doesn't expect to come off the bench in 2025-26
Portland will enter the 2025-26 season with three key up-and-comers seemingly positioned to start: Avdija, Camara, and Sharpe. Each bring something different to the table, but the common denominator is that they're all 25 or younger.
There may be a case for Grant being a better player than at least one of the three, but it's a hard sell to omit any of the potential franchise cornerstones from the starting lineup.
Avdija is the do-it-all forward Portland has been searching for, capable of getting downhill, spacing the floor, creating for his teammates, and finishing inside. Sharpe, meanwhile, is an explosive athlete who can play the 2 or the 3, and is an ideal jump shot away from being a high-level scoring threat.
Camara, meanwhile, shot 37.5 percent from beyond the arc in 2024-25 and earned All-Defensive Second Team honors while starting in all 78 of his appearances.
With Camara seemingly locked in as a starter, the question becomes whether Grant should be in the first five over Avdija or Sharpe. Jrue Holiday is the likely starter at point guard, with Scoot Henderson behind him, and the center position is too deep to justify a small-ball starting lineup.
Avdija seemed to secure his own starting role in 2024-25 by averaging 19.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.9 three-point field goals made over his final 43 appearances.
That seemingly leaves the matter of whether it's Grant or Sharpe who should be starting in 2025-26. That question may be answered in the simplest of ways: Sharpe is an ideal option to play the 2 and has untapped potential to explore in his contract year, while Grant is more of a hybrid forward.
Unfortunately, it doesn't appear as though Grant is ready to make way for the youth movement to take on the roles they've been building toward.