As the Los Angeles Lakers search for ways to contend during the final seasons of the LeBron James era, one name continues to surface as a player who could get the team over the hump: Jerami Grant. The Portland Trail Blazers forward seems to check the necessary boxes to captivate the masses.
As a result, Grant has been included in a number of hypothetical trade packages that would see the Lakers invest in his potential fit alongside Anthony Davis and James in a star-studded frontcourt.
Grant, 30, is entering the second season of the five-year, $160 million contract he signed to join the Portland Trail Blazers last summer. Most expected him to co-star alongside Damian Lillard, but when the All-NBA point guard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, that dream was shattered.
Grant took it in stride, producing a season in which he averaged 21.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.1 three-point field goals made on .451/.402/.817 shooting.
Despite his quality play individually, Portland finished at 21-61 in one of the worst seasons in franchise history. As such, the timelines that the player and organization are operating along are no longer in line with one another.
Rumors have inevitably swirled that the Lakers could thus trade for Grant this summer—if they're willing to meet a hefty asking price.
The Rumor
Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports initially reported ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft that the Lakers expressed interest in trading for Grant. Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report later relayed the information that Portland is looking for two first-round draft picks in a trade for Grant.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report has proposed a trade in which the Lakers would add Grant, but avoid having to pay the steep price of multiple first-round selections.
The Trade
The first hurdle in a trade for Grant is matching his incoming salary. He's owed $29,793,104 for the 2024-25 season, and the Lakers aren't equipped with an individual player who can be traded to make those numbers align.
Thankfully, Buckley has found a way around that with Jalen Hood-Schifino, D'Angelo Russell, and Jarred Vanderbilt heading to Portland, along with two picks.
The 2029 first-round draft pick would be risky to send, especially when one considers it's five years from now—when Davis and James would be off the books. Sending a 2025 second-round draft pick to Portland, however, would take the place of the second future first-rounder in this scenario.
Under those set of circumstances, the Lakers would be parting with their primary backup forward in Vanderbilt and replacing his contributions with Grant's.
The hurdle here is that the departure of Hood-Schifino and Russell would leave limited depth at point guad. Los Angeles would have a stronger frontcourt, including the addition of center Duop Reath, but the void at point guard would remain.
The question is: Does the incoming talent offset the concerns about the point guard position in what could become an unorthodox rotation?
The Grade
After this trade, the Lakers' frontcourt would consist of Davis and Reath at center, and Grant, Hachimura, and James at forward. The addition of Reath is compelling, as it would address the void that exists behind Davis at the center position.
Reath, 28, finished the 2023-24 season with averages of 18.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.8 offensive boards, 2.0 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 1.0 steal per 36 minutes.
In addition to creating depth at center, the Lakers would have one of the best rotations of forwards in the NBA. James is the obvious superstar of the group, while Grant and Hachimura have the 3-and-D abilities to provide nightly value.
Incoming rookie Dalton Knecht adds another potential sharpshooter to the mix and creates the extraordinary depth at forward that could be a driving force behind the team's success.
For as true as that may be, the grade here is impacted by the glaring absence of depth in the backcourt. Max Christie and Austin Reaves provide quality options at shooting guard, but Gabe Vincent would be the only point guard on the roster—and he appeared in just 11 games in 2023-24.
Considering how late it is in free agency and how another trade would be necessary to upgrade at point guard, this just can't receive the full A without further context as to what comes next.
A great idea on the surface, but the point guard issue can't be overlooked or undervalued.