Blazers’ Jerami Grant Trade Candidate Despite $160 Million Contract

One NBA insider believes the Portland Trail Blazers could trade Jerami Grant during the 2023-24 regular season despite signing him to a five-year, $160 million contract this summer.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype thinks the Blazers will look to move Grant once he’s eligible to be traded since it doesn’t make sense to have the forward on a Damian Lillard-less team. Lillard has requested a trade from Portland.

“Another trade candidate to monitor down the line will be Jerami Grant, who agreed to a five-year, $160 million deal with the Blazers before the team received word that Lillard wanted out of Portland,” Scotto wrote. “Grant was expected to draw interest from several teams in free agency, including the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers before word got around the league that the 29-year-old forward would remain with Portland on a new blockbuster deal. Grant is in the prime of his career and doesn’t ideally fit Portland’s new timeline with its young core.”

Grant finished the 2022-23 season with averages of 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists. He shot 47.5% from the field, 40.1% from beyond the arc and 81.3% from the free-throw line.

The 29-year-old Grant has played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons and Blazers. He has career averages of 12.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

Lillard wants to get traded to the Miami Heat. However, since he doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract, he can’t force his way to Miami.

Lillard averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists last season while shooting 46.3% from the floor, 37.1% from 3 and 91.4% from the free-throw line. The seven-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer was upset the Blazers didn’t trade the third overall pick in the 2023 draft for a star player.

Portland selected Scoot Henderson, who is a point guard like Lillard, with the third overall pick.