The Portland Trail Blazers will still re-sign Jerami Grant despite Damian Lillard requesting a trade, according to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The Blazers are in agreement with Grant on a five-year, $160 million contract.
Grant finished the 2022-23 season with averages of 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists. He shot 47.5% from the field, 40.1% from beyond the arc and 81.3% from the free-throw line.
The 29-year-old Grant has played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons and Blazers. He has career averages of 12.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
The Blazers won only 33 games this past season. The team was 23-27 when Lillard and Grant were in the lineup. Lillard averaged 32.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists alongside Grant, while Grant put up 19.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game next to Lillard.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jerami Grant, Damian Lillard & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Sources told NBA Analysis Network that the Pistons, Phoenix Suns (before the Bradley Beal trade) and Houston Rockets were expected to pursue Grant in free agency this summer. However, the Blazers were never going to lose Grant, who is a talented scorer and rebounder.
As for Lillard, he wants to get traded to the Miami Heat. Bam Adebayo is close friends with Lillard and Jimmy Butler and Pat Riley want Lillard in South Beach. The Heat, who lost the 2023 Finals to the Denver Nuggets in five games, believe they can win the championship next season with Lillard in the fold.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jerami Grant, Damian Lillard & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Lillard averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists this past season while shooting 46.3% from the field, 37.1% from beyond the arc and 91.4% from the free-throw line. The future Hall of Famer was upset the Blazers didn’t trade the third overall pick in the 2023 draft for a star player. Portland selected Scoot Henderson, who is a point guard like Lillard, with the third overall pick.
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