Getty Jerami Grant
The Denver Nuggets may have to make some major changes if they want to win another title. One way they could make a major change is if they reunite with a familiar face who thrived with them years ago: Jerami Grant.
Grant helped the Nuggets make their first Western Conference Finals as a franchise since 2009 in 2020. Since then, he departed for greener pastures with the Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers. Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale outlined the following trade that would put Grant back on the Nuggets.
Nuggets acquire: Grant
Trail Blazers acquire: Michael Porter Jr, Peyton Watson
Favale acknowledged that such a trade may not happen but explained why they would want Grant.
“This is not a likely scenario—particularly because it also assumes Denver will avoid the second apron and have the ability to aggregate salaries in a trade. But if the Nuggets hint at a willingness to use MPJ’s salary as the vessel through which they acquire more on-ball optionality (and perhaps attempt to replace KCP), Grant is a natural endgame for them.”
Favale considered his outlined trade “ambitious,” though the ambitious target in this case was Watson, not Grant. Grant will enter the second year of a five-year, $160 million contract.
Trail Blazers Turned Down Jerami Grant Trade: Report
Even though the Trail Blazers started their next chapter as a franchise in 2023, the veteran wing remains on the team. Teams expressed interest in Grant before the trade deadline, but the Trail Blazers turned them down.
One such team was the Sacramento Kings, per James Ham.
“According to league sources, the Kings have interest in Portland’s Jerami Grant, but the Blazers keep checking the “No” box on Sacramento’s overtures,” Ham wrote.
Grant has ascended since his time in Denver. Since leaving the Nuggets in 2020, his scoring average has gone from 12 points a game to as high as 22.3. The one problem is that his team has never made the playoffs in that time. Grant wouldn’t be the offensive focus, but his improved game could be of major use to a playoff contender.
The Trail Blazers may not want to mire in mediocrity for too long after what they had with Damian Lillard. If they acquire a superstar in the making, they may want to keep Grant for their next era of playoff basketball.
Jerami Grant Says He’s ‘Cool’ in Portland
Because the Trail Blazers were among the worst teams in the league, Grant appeared in trade rumors. In a January 18 story, Grant acknowledged the rumors but made it clear that he does not want to leave Portland.
“You definitely see it,” Grant told The Rose Garden Report’s Sean Highkin. “But it’s not anything in my control. I’m cool here. I’m good with what I’m doing. Keep my head down and keep working, keep trying to help the young guys as much as I can. But it’s definitely something you see. It’s not something you can do anything about, especially since I just signed a deal. I’m here for as long as they want me.”
Perhaps Grant’s desires could change if he can play on a contender like the Nuggets again. However, he’s putting up excellent numbers that he may not put up on a better team, and he’s being paid good money to do it. The Nuggets are better than the Trail Blazers, but Grant may want a bigger role than they could offer.