Portland Trail Blazers secure move for Jerami Grant before NBA Draft

The former Detroit Pistons forward, Jerami Grant, might finally be able to repair the defense surrounding Damian Lillard. However, the Portland Trail Blazers‘ new core does not appear to have a substantially greater ceiling than the previous one.

Image Credits – Marca

Neil Olshey’s fingerprints were surgically removed from the Trail Blazers’ roster in the days running up to the 2022 trade deadline. Damian Lillard is on the mend, and Portland is at the basement of the Western Conference. 

With Corleone-level brutality, new GM Joe Cronin ripped out the majority of Olshey’s high-priced supporting cast. First, the Clippers received Robert Covington and Norm Powell, and then the Pelicans received CJ McCollum. At best, the rewards were modest—a handful of young players and a few draft selections.

It did, however, present Cronin with something resembling a blank canvas on which to plan the coming years of Lillard’s peak. Nonetheless, Cronin’s first stroke resembles that of his predecessor: Cronin allegedly consented to trade the 2025 first-round selection (through Milwaukee) received in the McCollum trade to the Pistons for Jerami Grant, a talented veteran who fills a gap but may not affect the overall picture in Portland regardless of who owns the club.

What will Jerami Grant bring to the Trail Blazers?

Jerami Grant, 28, is the type of do-it-all, defensive-minded forward that earlier Blazers iterations dearly needed. Olshey spent two first-round selections on Covington two offseasons ago in the hopes of addressing that very need. 

However, as any blogger will remind you, Covington is somewhat of a team defender than a stopper who can be thrown at the league’s best wings. Grant’s resume is more solid in that regard: his most frequent covers during his previous postseason with the Nuggets, when they were on the bubble, were Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell, and LeBron James.

The Pistons and Trail Blazers, in particular, have traded second-round choices in this year’s draught. The Pistons are currently ranked 36th altogether, while the Blazers are ranked 46th. In addition, the Pistons will acquire a 2025 second-round selection and a 2026 second-round pick from the Trail Blazers (most favorable between the Trail Blazers and the New Orleans Pelicans). As part of the agreement, Detroit will get a $21 million transfer exemption.

Grant is in the final year of his deal and was not a long-term asset for the Pistons, who will now go forward with Cade Cunningham and $43 million in salary room for free agency. Moving Grant was always a good idea, but it’s disappointing the Pistons didn’t get more in exchange.