Grade the trade pitch: Lakers add Jerami Grant for reasonable price
The Los Angeles Lakers have missed out on the big names who were available during the 2024 period of NBA free agency. As such, general manager Rob Pelinka is now toeing the line between keeping the roster intact and potentially making drastic changes via a potential trade.
One of the players to whom the Lakers have been linked in potential trade rumors is Klutch Sports client and Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant.
Grant, 30, is one of the most sought-after trade targets on the open market. A productive scorer and high-level three-point shooter, there's optimism in Los Angeles that he could fit the 3-and-D mold as a potential third option alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
A trade isn't exactly imminent between the two sides, but Grant's Klutch Sports affiliation has inevitably led some to question if James and Rich Paul could petition for a deal to get done.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report has tried his hand at figuring out how a potential deal might play out if Grant were to land in Los Angeles. Buckley created a reasonable proposal that would see the Lakers add Grant without losing too much for him.
Before looking at the trade itself, however, it's important to explore its origins.
The Rumor
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft that Grant is on Pelinka's radar. The report has prompted consistent think pieces about how the 30-year-old might fit with Los Angeles if a potentail deal is made.
In recent days, clarity has been provided in terms of what a trade between the two sides could ultimately look like.
Per Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report, the Trail Blazers' asking price includes two future first-round draft picks. That's an extraordinary cost to consider for a player who produces at a high level, but resides just below the All-Star line of play.
In Buckley's proposed trade, the Lakers find a way to mitigate the risk by bridging the gap between the reported asking price and a more reasonable fee.