Grade the trade pitch: Jerami Grant proposal adds third team to finish the job

Jerami Grant and the Los Angeles Lakers seem destined to be linked in trade rumors until a deal is made or another team swoops in to write the possibility off entirely. Whether in reports or speculation pieces, Grant has been labeled as an almost inevitable Lakers target.

A Klutch Sports client who fills a void on the court, it's easy to understand why so many believe that this union is all but inevitable.

The hurdle in getting a trade done, however, has been a combination of matching salaries and defining the requisite value. This isn't to say that a deal is otherwise guaranteed to transpire, but there's a strong sense that Grant could end up in Los Angeles if Rob Pelinka caves on the asking price.

The question is: What exactly are the Portland Trail Blazers looking for and how has a recent trade pitch managed to navigate that tricky terrain?

The Rumor

Prior to the 2024 NBA Draft, Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports reported that the Lakers were interested in potentially acquiring Grant from the Trail Blazers. Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report would later relay the information that Portland is asking for two first-round draft picks for Grant.

Jovan Buha of The Athletic recently corroborated that information, doubling down on the report that the Trail Blazers' asking price is, in fact, two first-rounders.

Los Angeles remains interested in Grant, but has thus far been unwilling to part with multiple first-round draft picks. It's also attempted to ship out D'Angelo Russell, per Buha's aforementioned report, but the Trail Blazers aren't interested in bringing on another guard.

This information led Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report to construct a potential three-team trade that would see the Lakers land Grant and ship Russell out elsewhere.