Every team in the NBA needs to manage their assets. They do this in a couple of different ways. Teams need to manage their draft capital, but at the same time, they need to manage their cap sheet.
Those two things are often mutually exclusive. If you’re concerned about draft capital, your salary sheet ought to be fairly clean. After all, your team should be rebuilding.
On the other hand, if you’re operating over the cap, you should be in a position to win – draft picks can be traded if they haven’t already been moved.
Yet, a contending team can benefit from holding onto assets if possible. That would allow them to make additional moves down the line. Take the Philadelphia 76ers. They just landed a fair bit of draft capital in exchange for James Harden.
Could they hang onto it and also upgrade their roster by acquiring Jerami Grant from the Portland Trail Blazers?
NBA Trade Proposal: Philadelphia 76ers Land Portland Trail Blazers’ Jerami Grant
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: F/C Marcus Morris Sr., F Nicolas Batum, 2024 Second-Round Pick (NYK via PHI), 2027 Second-Round Pick (PHI)
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: F Jerami Grant
Sometimes, asset management can force a team into a corner. They’ve got to make a major decision. A team may have a highly valuable asset, and the way that they ought to use it isn’t obvious.
Just look at the summer that the Blazers just had. This team landed the third overall pick in the NBA draft. That’s a stroke of fortune in any situation. Yet, Portland got especially lucky.
The Charlotte Hornets selected Brandon Miller with the second overall pick, which left Scoot Henderson on the board. That forced Portland into a corner. If they selected Henderson, they’d effectively be forced to move Damian Lillard.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers Updates
Plenty of fans expected them to move the pick, but we all know what decision they made in the end. Should they now decide to move Grant?
Why The Portland Trail Blazers Do The Deal
When the Blazers extended Grant this summer, they had not yet selected Henderson. In all likelihood, they would have reconsidered that decision if they’d known what would have happened.
Hindsight is 20/20 – as it stands, Grant is a Blazer. The extension he was offered is problematic in a couple of ways. Grant won’t have the trade value that his talent would otherwise dictate.
He’s locked into a long-term, expensive contract. The Blazers should be happy to simply get it off of their books. So, that’s what they’re doing here.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers Updates
The Blazers are taking back two expiring contracts in this deal to preserve financial flexibility. Throw in a couple of second-rounders, and this ought to be enough for Grant.
Should the Sixers take his contract on?
Why The Philadelphia 76ers Do The Deal
Sure, this deal will hamper the Sixers’ financial flexibility. We’re not sure if that’s a huge concern for this team. On a superficial level, our logic is simple. The Sixers are contenders, and Grant is a very good player.
He’s also affordable from an asset perspective. That’s key for the Sixers as well. If they win an NBA title this year, they won’t care about having Grant’s deal on the books.
If they don’t, Tobias Harris’ deal expires this summer, and the Sixers will still have the assets that they netted in the Harden trade. In other words, they could make another trade.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers Updates
Who knows? Grant could land them a major roster upgrade if the Sixers attach first-round picks to his deal. In all likelihood, somebody will want those assets.
