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NBA, Basketball Herren, USA New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers Mar 27, 2023 Portland, Oregon, USA Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard 0 watches players warm up prior to the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Moda Center. Portland Moda Center Oregon USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xSoobumxImx 20230327_si_ai1_001
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NBA, Basketball Herren, USA New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers Mar 27, 2023 Portland, Oregon, USA Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard 0 watches players warm up prior to the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Moda Center. Portland Moda Center Oregon USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xSoobumxImx 20230327_si_ai1_001
After the Damian Lillard trade, there seem to be only two ways to go about for the Blazers. The first option would be to use this season to evaluate where they stand in terms of contention. The second option would be to build cap space to afford a big-time player who would like to play with the young core. According to some NBA sources, the Portland Trail Blazers are going with the second option. And, one of their super talented 2-way players would be on the way out.
It is a rarity these days in the NBA that a player gets to play with a single team long-term. Getting into contracts ensures the money part alone, not the tenure with the team that extends the contract.
After playing for 5 teams, he could be joining a sixth
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The second-round pick of the Philadelphia 76ers, Jerami Grant, drew the attention of all the major teams because of his all-round playing style. He can crash the rim or take the jumper and also can be a sprightly defender. Despite his stature as a player, he has been around the trading block a few times already. And he could be on the way out once again.
Jerami Grant is expected to be available for trade, per @MikeAScotto
?Jerami Grant, who becomes trade-eligible on January 15, is expected to become available before the trade deadline, according to rival league NBA executives who spoke with HoopsHype following the Lillard? pic.twitter.com/7Dba02lqOW
? NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 28, 2023
After re-signing with the Blazers, Jerami Grant was one of Chauncey Billups’ go-to players. And he earned that trust in the absence of some key players on the team. Now, all those things are of the past, as the Blazers are listening to offers that could potentially send Jerami Grant to a new team this season.
What is brewing in OKC?
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Last year, it was refreshing to see the Oklahoma City Thunder team compete. They completed the season with the tenth-best record in the Western Conference, & lost out only in the play-in tournament. Jerami Grant, who had an earlier stint with the OKC, could be the player, who brings the expertise, and the veteran voice, that is so badly missed in that young Thunder unit.
The scoring duties of Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous Alexander could be relieved if they could have someone like Jerami Grant. And in return, Portland can gain some fresh draft assets.
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Plug-and-play players like Jerami Grant are the lifeblood of the league, where the fortunes of teams could change on a dime. Last year, Lakers had a dramatic turnaround in the second half of the season, because of additions of some utility players that LeBron could rely on. And, soon Jerami Grant could be one of those players in the market.
Watch this story: ?Lame Time as Usual?: Portland Fans Turn on Damian Lillard Hours Within Bucks Trade After His ?I Could Never Be Replaced? Release
