NBA Exec Says Jerami Grant Wouldn’t Make Lakers ‘Better’

An NBA exec doesn’t think Jerami Grant would make the Los Angeles Lakers “better.”

The Lakers are interested in acquiring Grant from the Portland Trail Blazers. 

“If they get Grant, I am not sure they are that much better as a team,” one NBA executive told Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports. “It’s a bad contract. He’s a good shooter but he is not a very good defender. I am not sure he is that much better than Rui (Hachimura), so if you’re giving up Rui and a draft pick? I can’t see making that move. It’s making a trade just for the sake of making a trade, and that’s always unwise.”

Grant appeared in 54 games for the Blazers in 2023-24. 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.

Grant is represented by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group, the agent who represents Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

“Jerami Grant can play, he is a shooter, he is a good, active defender when he is engaged, he is going to do a lot of things that help your team,” the NBA executive said. “But he is a third option. He has some big numbers the last few years, but he has done it on terrible teams. No one is going to make a big trade for a guy who gives you 20 (points) on a bad team and 13 (points) on a good one.

“Not with his contract. He is going to make $30 (million) next year $32 the year after that. Then he has two more years. You can’t pay your third option $34, 35 million. If Portland wants the Lakers, the Heat, any of these teams to take him, they’ve got to recognize that.”

Grant will make $29.8 million next season. He signed a five-year, $160 million contract with the Blazers last July.

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.