Getty Lakers 'wishlist' trade target Jerami Grant (right)
In what is expected to be a massive NBA offseason for the Lakers and new coach JJ Redick, a slew of names and possibilities have been floated as the pieces that could remake the team as it tries to maximize the remaining years it has with star forward LeBron James, who turns 40 at the end of this year. And Yahoo Sports has added a new name to the mix: Blazers forward Jerami Grant.
Grant, a client of Klutch Sports—the Rich Paul-led agency that also reps James and fellow Lakers star Anthony Davis—is probably as well known for this contract as his production. He averaged 21.0 points on 45.1% shooting last year, with a remarkably low rebound total (3.5 per game) for a power forward. He struggled with injuries, playing just 54 games for the lowly 21-win Blazers.
Portland took the odd step last summer of signing Grant to a major new contract worth $160 million over five years, just before Damian Lillard sought a trade and Portland headed into a rebuilding program.
“Jerami Grant, a client of Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, is believed to be another potential addition on the Lakers’ wishlist, according to league sources,” Yahoo’s Jake Fischer reported.
Jerami Grant Might Be Had on the Cheap
Because of Grant’s onerous contract, it might not be too difficult for the Lakers to obtain him, as long as they’re willing to take on the burden of paying an average of $32 million per year for a player who has pretty clear weaknesses. They would not have to give up guard Austin Reaves and likely not last year’s first-round pick, Jalen Hood-Schifino.
The Blazers might well be eager enough to get off of Grant’s money that the Lakers would not have to give up either of the two future first-round picks they have available, in 2029 and 2031, but could make a deal based only on sending out the No. 17 pick in this year’s draft, plus outgoing matching salaries built around a combination of Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Rui Hachimura and/or D’Angelo Russell, depending on his option.
The draft is Thursday and is generally considered a weak crop of players. The Lakers are a very strong candidate to make a move before then.
“Los Angeles has also made that No. 17 selection available via trade, sources said, as the Lakers have evaluated the market for a significant contributor alongside James and Davis,” Fischer wrote.
Lakers Need 3-Point Shooting, Versatility
Fischer did make mention of the possibility of the Lakers rekindling talks around point guard Dejounte Murray of the Hawks, who is one of the big names on the trade market as the draft nears.
It is clear that the Lakers have a few priorities to address in the coming weeks. The first is to find a star who can play alongside both James and Davis, and Grant’s athletic style could work well in that regard.
But the Lakers need 3-point shooting badly, as the team ranked just 24th in 3-pointers made per game, at 11.8. It’s tough to win that way in the modern NBA, especially after the Celtics just showed what deploying five perimeter shooters at once can accomplish. Boston made 16.5 3s per game this year.
Fischer wrote: “Redick left various players and their representatives with the impression the first-time head coach is going to value positional versatility, 3-point shooting and playmaking for lineups that can optimize LeBron James off the ball, sources said.”
Grant can help there. In his two seasons with the Blazers, he has become a 3-point marksman, shooting 40.1% from the arc on 5.7 attempts in 2022-23 and making 40.2% on 5.1 attempts last year. His average of 2.1 made 3s per game would have tied him with James for No. 2 on the Lakers last season.