NBA Notes: Blazers, Jerami Grant, Pistons, Ausar Thompson, Sixers

Trail Blazers

The  Trail Blazers entered last season hoping veteran forward Jerami Grant could bounce back after a rough 2024-25 campaign. Without a doubt, he did just that.

Grant averaged 18.6 points while shooting 38.9 percent from three-point range in 57 games, giving Portland a reliable scorer and steady locker room presence throughout much of the season. He started 38 games and still showed flashes of the versatile wing who once played a major role for the Nuggets.

Still, questions about his future remain.

According to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian, Grant’s contract and evolving game could make things complicated moving forward. He’s owed $34.2 million next season and holds a player option worth $36.4 million for 2027/28.

While Grant remains productive offensively, evaluators around the league have noticed a drop-off defensively and on the glass compared to his Denver days. That could make a trade difficult unless Portland is willing to absorb some financial pain or take back less-than-ideal contracts.

Either way, Grant still offers value. The bigger question is whether he fits the timeline of a younger Blazers roster still trying to figure out exactly what it wants to become.

Pistons

The Pistons have plenty to sort through this offseason, but one thing became increasingly clear during the playoffs: Ausar Thompson matters a lot to what they’re building.

Fresh off earning First Team All-Defense honors, Thompson is now extension-eligible, and team president Trajan Langdon made it sound like Detroit sees him as a foundational piece moving forward.

“(Thompson) was big-time,” Langdon said, via Coty M. Davis of the Detroit News. “He took a huge step last year, and as the season went on, you saw how much he impacted the game on both ends of the floor.”

Langdon praised Thompson’s competitiveness, work ethic and team-first mentality, adding that the organization is excited about where things could be headed.

The playoffs highlighted some of Detroit’s offensive limitations, but they also showed just how disruptive Thompson can be defensively. He already looks like one of the league’s premier perimeter stoppers, and the Pistons believe there’s still another level offensively.

“Remember, last year, he did not play a full season,” Langdon said. “This summer will be different for him.”

76ers

The 76ers know their core is set heading into next season, with Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Paul George and Joel Embiid all under contract.

The uncertainty comes elsewhere on the roster, writes Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Philadelphia has several key rotation players headed toward unrestricted free agency, including Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andre Drummond.

Grimes may be the most intriguing case of the bunch. After betting on himself with a qualifying offer last summer, he endured an uneven season that included career-low three-point shooting numbers.

Still, there were stretches where he looked like an important piece, especially during March when injuries opened up more opportunities.

Now, with the Sixers searching for a new head of basketball operations, it’s unclear where things stand between Grimes and the organization. If he leaves, Philadelphia’s once-deep backcourt could suddenly look awfully thin.

As for Oubre, he appeared to genuinely find comfort playing in Philadelphia after bouncing around several teams earlier in his career.

“The game of basketball has reinvented itself to me through different lenses and different eyes throughout my tenure here,” Oubre said. “I’m forever appreciative for the opportunity to play for this city.”

The Sixers would likely welcome him back at the right price. The challenge, as always, is figuring out what that price actually is.