The Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard seem to be at a standstill. For the time being, all that the rest of the NBA world can do is watch. Eventually, the Blazers are likely to trade Lillard – whether to the Miami Heat, or elsewhere.
It’s not all bad in Rip City. The Blazers have an impressive head start on a rebuild. Scoot Henderson could be this team’s long-term franchise player. Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe both have All-Star potential. As far as NBA situations go, this one could be worse.
With that said, there’s another problem that the Blazers need to deal with. When this team handed Jerami Grant a long-term contract this summer, they were likely thinking that Lillard was sticking around. If they’re trading Lillard, we wouldn’t be surprised if they moved Grant near the trade deadline this season. Could they send him to the New York Knicks?
The Trade Proposal
Portland Trail Blazers receive: G/F Evan Fournier, C Isaiah Hartenstein, 2024 First-Round Pick (NYK)
New York Knicks receive: F Jerami Grant
It’s a shame. When the Blazers first acquired Grant, they appeared to be on the right track. The Blazers needed to surround Lillard with quality defensive wings. Grant meets those criteria.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t enough. Grant is a great player, but he’s more of a third option than a second fiddle. The Blazers needed to find Lillard a co-star. This summer, plenty of folks thought they’d found an opportunity to do that. The Blazers surely could find a viable second option by trading the third overall pick, couldn’t they?
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Jerami Grant, New York Knicks & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Perhaps. We don’t know what offers the Blazers received. Moreover, trading the rights to select Henderson for a short-term second option could have been regrettable. Whether selecting Henderson was the last straw for Lillard or not, he wants out. Should the Blazers really trade Grant after they move Lillard?
Why The Portland Trail Blazers Do The Deal
Absolutely. The Blazers must have buyer’s remorse over Grant. It’s not a commentary on Grant’s game. Simply put, Portland shouldn’t have his money on their books if they aren’t keeping Lillard.
If the Blazers agree, this deal should appeal to the Blazers. In part, they’ll be attracted to Fournier’s expiring contract. If Portland is getting a fresh start, they’ll want cleaner books. Of course, Grant is a quality player. Portland wouldn’t simply salary dump him. Luckily, that’s not what they’re doing here.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Jerami Grant, New York Knicks & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Realistically, they’re flipping him for Hartenstein and a first-round pick. At 25, Hartenstein is young enough to be part of a rebuild. He’s a solid defensive big who doubles as a surprisingly skilled passer. Throw in an unprotected first, and the Blazers may not be able to pass up this deal. Should the Knicks make it?
Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
We almost made this a Grant for RJ Barrett swap. Truly. After all, the Knicks will have a bit of a logjam following this deal. Grant typically plays the 4, but with Julius Randle on the roster, he’ll have to move to the 3. That’s fine – Grant has the versatility to play there. Where does that leave Barrett?
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter. Perhaps the Knicks will try to use Barrett as a sixth man. Alternatively, he may get bumped down to the 2. Barrett has been too inconsistent for the win-now Knicks to plan around. Grant is an upgrade, and this team should be looking to make an upgrade.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Jerami Grant, New York Knicks & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
After all, they could be a 3-and-D wing away from title contention. The Knicks advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs last season. By adding Grant, they’ll raise their ceiling. The Knicks should capitalize on their current window – to our knowledge, no star player wants to be traded from the team.
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