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The Dallas Mavericks enter the offseason coming off a surprise run to the NBA Finals. To ensure their playoff run was not a fluke, they’ll need reinforcements. One possible reinforcement is Portland Trail Blazers wing Jerami Grant.
Grant has come along nicely over the last few years to the point where he’s averaged 20 points or more in three of the last four seasons. The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor explained why Grant is a “hidden gem.”
“Grant is still a versatile defender who can fit into any switching defense, and he’s still a knockdown shooter who can cut and score at the rim. But he’s also capable of doing work off the dribble. Much like Porzingis for Boston, perhaps now he’s at a stage of his career when he’d prefer a little more balance.”
He also explained how Grant would thrive on the Mavericks.
“Just imagine a guy with Grant’s scoring talent receiving kickout passes from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, instead of Maxi Kleber. Grant would feast on more open looks than he ever has. And because of his handling ability, he could help alleviate some of Luka and Kyrie’s burden.”
Grant last played for a playoff team, the Denver Nuggets, during the 2019-20 season. He will enter the second year of a five-year, $160 million contract.
Trail Blazers Urged to Trade Jerami Grant by Analyst
There have been no reports indicating that the Trail Blazers plan to trade Grant. However, Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz explained that failing to trade veterans like Grant should be their biggest fear.
“Despite finishing dead last in the Western Conference with 21 wins, the Trail Blazers are currently projected to be in the luxury tax this upcoming season,” Swartz wrote in a June 12 story. “Veterans like Jerami Grant and Malcolm Brogdon are combining to make over $50 million and don’t fit this team’s competitive timeline.”
Swartz added that getting rid of Grant along with Brogdon provides two benefits for the Trail Blazers.
“Keeping this roster as is going into the season would be a mistake,” Hughes wrote. “Portland needs to embrace a youth movement completely, looking to trade Brogdon, Grant, or both while getting out of the luxury tax and opening up the full mid-level exception to try to acquire more young talent.”
Grant is paid like an All-Star despite the unlikelihood of him ever making a team. However, as O’Connor alluded, he could be worth investing in should he play more of a complementary role in Dallas.
Mavericks Tried Acquiring Wing Like Jerami Grant
Before the NBA Trade Deadline, the Mavericks tried and failed to acquire Kyle Kuzma. According to The Athletic’s Tim Robbins, the two sides were “close” on agreeing to a deal, but it fell through. Kuzma admitted to Robbins in a February 13 story that a trade never materialized because he didn’t want to go to Dallas.
The reason he gave for why he didn’t want to join the Mavericks at the time looks foolish in hindsight.
“In my career, I won a championship. So, I understand that when we play this game of basketball, it’s not about contending for a playoff spot. It’s about contending for an NBA championship. There’s only like three or four contenders — true contenders. I just felt like our timelines didn’t line up,” Kuzma told Robbins.
At the time, the Mavericks did not look like a team about to make a run to the NBA Finals. That was not the case following the changes they made mid-season. One can only imagine how Dallas would have fared if they had Kuzma along for the ride.
Grant and Kuzma are not the same player archetype, but they play the same position and are proven scorers.
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$160 Million Wing Tabbed as ‘Dream Fit’ for Mavericks