The Oregonian/OregonLive is taking a player-by-player look at the Portland Trail Blazers roster heading into the offseason.
Prior posts: Toumani Camara; Deandre Ayton; Donovan Clingan; Robert Williams III; Matisse Thybulle; Dalano Banton, Kris Murray; Jabari Walker; Duop Reath; Rayan Rupert; Justin Minaya; Bryce McGowens; Sidy Cissoko.
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Height, position, age: 6-foot-7, forward, 31.
Contract status: Grant’s contract has three years remaining, including a player-option for the final year. He will make $32 million next season.
2024-25 contributions: Grant went from being one of the most consistent players on the team last season to one of the most confounding this season.
He shot 37.3% from the field and 36.5% from three-point range, leading to an average of 14.4 points per game.
Those numbers fell from last season when he averaged 21 points, shooting 45.1% from the field and 40.2% from beyond the arc.
After the season, Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said that Grant struggled to adjust to not shooting as many mid-range jumpers within the offense’s focus on shooting threes and getting to the rim.
Grant took 93 shots from eight to 24 feet, making 26 (27.9%). Last season, he went 84 of 198 (42.4%) from within the same range.
His three-point shooting mainly dipped from the right corner, where he went from 53.1% last season to 36.8% this season.
Above the break, Grant remained consistent, going from 36.8% to 36.1%.
Billups praised Grant’s defense, especially during the team’s run of winning 10 of 11 games. His defensive rating came in at 113.4, down from last season’s 117.5.
Jerami Grant #9 of the Portland Trail Blazers dunks the ball during overtime against the Phoenix Suns at Moda Center on February 03, 2025 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)Getty Images
Fit moving forward: Questionable. The emergence of Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija makes Grant expendable. He was acquired from Detroit in 2022 to play with Damian Lillard and re-signed in 2023 after the superstar guard had demanded a trade.
The signing of Grant with Lillard wanting out made little sense, given Grant’s age. He is on the back end of his career and wants to win, while the Blazers started a complete rebuild post-Lillard.
Dealing Grant would be ideal for all parties involved, but his trade value is at an all-time low following a down season and saddled with a large contract at age 31.
However, if Grant regains his shooting touch, he could help the Blazers reach the postseason for the first time since 2021.
Trade value: Shakey. Grant has three years and $102.6 million remaining on his deal and is coming off of his worst statistical season since 2016-17 when he shot 35.3% from the field for the Philadelphia 76ers.
However, a team looking for a veteran who plays solid defense and can score might overlook last season and make a move for Grant.
Such a team would presumably only do so if it could unload a similarly questionable contract in the process.
Likelihood to return: The Blazers likely won’t dump Grant to move him. A scenario could arise where the Blazers could trade draft picks for an impact player with a hefty contract and use Grant’s contract to make the deal work.
If such a deal doesn’t materialize, expect Grant to return.
2025-26 outlook: Should Grant return, the Blazers will have three starting-caliber forwards to sort out. All three could start with Camara at shooting guard, or one must come off the bench.
Grant might be resistant to the latter. But the decision would likely come down to pure competition.
Avdija gets the edge over all three, given that he is the better all-around player. He averaged 7.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists compared to Grant’s 3.5 rebounds with 2.1 assists.
Regardless of how a competition would shake out, all three could receive at least 32 of the 96 minutes available at forward.
Grant, should he regain his shooting form from last season, could help the Blazers make a run at the postseason.
Next up: Scoot Henderson.
— Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)