Blockbuster Trade Proposal Sends Blazers’ Jerami Grant To Cavaliers

One NBA analyst proposed that the Cleveland Cavaliers acquire Jerami Grant from the Portland Trail Blazers. 

Ashish Mathur of Hoops Wire proposed the following mock trade between the Cavaliers and Blazers:

Cavaliers receive: Jerami Grant, Kris Murray, Duop Reath

Blazers receive: Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, Ty Jerome, 2025 second-round pick, 2026 second-round pick, 2027 second-round pick (via Nuggets), 2028 second-round pick, 2031 first-round pick

A versatile wing scorer and defender, Grant will make $29.8 million next season. He signed a five-year, $160 million contract with the Blazers last July.

Grant appeared in 54 games for the Blazers last season. He averaged 21.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting 45.1% from the field, 40.2% from beyond the arc and 81.7% from the free-throw line.

The 30-year-old Grant has career averages of 13.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.0 blocks with the Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons and Blazers.

The Cavaliers could start Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Grant, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen if Cleveland’s front office acquired Grant from Portland. 

Last season, the Cavaliers went 48-34. They beat the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs in seven games but lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round in five games.

Meanwhile, the Blazers went 21-61. They are rebuilding in the post-Damian Lillard era. 

“They’re stubborn,” an NBA exec told Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports about the Blazers. “Part of the job is to be stubborn, though. But part of the job is also seeing your mistakes and getting out of them. Grant was a mistake. Trading him now just to get out of that salary is the right thing to do, take whatever picks or young guys you can get.”