Despite all the chaos surrounding Damian Lillard this summer, the real point of focus for the Trail Blazers this summer was retaining Jerami Grant, who was the team’s second-best player for most of the season.
For weeks, there have been rumblings that Jerami was considering leaving the Blazers for a reunion with the Pistons, but today Shams Charania confirmed that he will be returning on a five-year, $160 million deal.
“Free agent forward Jerami Grant and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul have agreed on a five-year, $160 million deal to return to the Portland Trail Blazers, sources tell The Athletic.”
Free agent forward Jerami Grant and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul have agreed on a five-year, $160 million deal to return to the Portland Trail Blazers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2023
In 63 games with the Blazers last season, Grant averaged 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game on 47.5% shooting. Sadly, Portland missed out on the playoffs last season, but there is a sense that better days are ahead for them following the NBA Draft and the pickup of Scoot Henderson.
Of course, when it comes to the Blazers, the real factor is Damian Lillard, and the whole league is watching to see his next move. Will re-signing Jerami be enough to make him happy, or is Portland still under pressure to make more moves?
What’s Next For The Blazers?
Now that Grant is secured, Portland can rest a little easier. Still, nobody is ready to call them contenders. Even with Jerami and Dame, Portland doesn’t have enough to compete with the best of the best, and their saturation of young talent makes them closer to a lottery team than a true Finals threat.
Unfortunately, options are limited for GM Joe Cronin. With practically no cap space, the Blazers can only sign a player for MLE, so any true needle-mover will have to happen via trade.
We will see soon enough what Portland is able to do, but they better hope that it’s enough to keep their superstar around.
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