The Hornets had one of the strangest offseasons in the league. They finished 44-38, their first winning record in years, and then turned around and traded away LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges like they’d just won 24 games instead. Even so, this doesn’t really look like a full tank job. Charlotte re-signed Coby White, brought in Naz Reid, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, and Dorian Finney-Smith, and reportedly plans to hang onto Reid even after fielding calls on him.
That puts the Hornets in a strange spot right now. Not good enough to hang with the top teams in the East, but too talented to just be bad on purpose. If they’re serious about chasing another Play-In spot around Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, White and Reid, a real starting power forward is exactly what’s missing, and a season veteran like Jerami Grant is right there for the taking.
The Grizzlies landed Grant and Kris Murray as part of the Ja Morant trade, but they are clearly rebuilding around Cameron Boozer, Zach Edey, Cedric Coward, and the rest of their young core. No report has come out saying Memphis is actively shopping Grant, but there’s not much point in a 25-win rebuilding team hanging onto a 32-year-old forward making over $34.0 million.
Here’s a framework that gives Charlotte a legit starting five without having to give up another first-round pick.
Trade Details
Charlotte Hornets Receive: Jerami Grant
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Grayson Allen, Grant Williams, 2032 second-round pick (via Timberwolves), 2033 second-round pick (via Timberwolves)
Based on 2026-27 salaries, Charlotte sends out roughly $32.4 million combined between Grayson Allen ($18.1 million) and Grant Williams ($14.3 million). Grant makes $34.2 million, so the Hornets take on about $1.8 million more in salary while Memphis shaves that same amount off.
The bigger financial difference shows up in 2027-28. Grant has a $36.4 million player option on his deal, compared to Allen’s $19.4 million option and Williams simply coming off the books after this season. That means the Grizzlies could shed close to $17.0 million in possible 2027-28 money while swapping one massive contract for two much more manageable ones.
Why This Trade Is Good For Both Sides
Jerami Grant is still a genuinely good starter, even if he’s clearly not a star anymore. He averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists last season while shooting 45.3% from the field and 38.9% from three. His rebounding numbers are rough for a 6-foot-7 forward, but the scoring and shooting alone would upgrade Charlotte’s starting lineup right away.
The fit next to Naz Reid is really the whole point here. Reid put up 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists last season, and his shooting drags opposing forwards away from the rim. Grant does something similar: stretches the floor, attacks closeouts, runs in transition, and can guard bigger forwards. Pair him with Reid at center, and Charlotte suddenly has five-out spacing they haven’t really had before.
Defense wouldn’t be the strength of this group. Reid isn’t much of a rim protector, Grant’s defensive reputation is probably ahead of his actual impact these days, and neither guy is a big rebounder. But offensively, this lineup just makes a lot more sense. White runs the point, Knueppel moves without the ball, Miller stays the number one scorer, and Grant doesn’t have to pretend he’s a primary option anymore.
Miller already averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists last season. Adding Grant gives Charlotte a second scorer who can get 15 to 18 points a night without needing the ball run through him constantly. He can punish smaller defenders, get to the free-throw line, and take pressure off Reid or Knueppel to manufacture something whenever the first option breaks down.
The price tag is fair too. Grayson Allen had a solid year, 16.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, though his shooting dipped to 40.3% from the field and 34.9% from three. He’d help most teams, but Charlotte’s backcourt is already crowded with White, Knueppel, and a handful of wings, so losing Allen isn’t exactly a gut punch.
Grant Williams is basically an expiring contract at this point and wasn’t going to start ahead of Reid anyway. Giving up two far-off second-round picks for a proven starting forward is a very reasonable ask. Charlotte is sitting on a mountain of draft capital after the Ball and Bridges deals, so parting with two seconds barely moves the needle.
For Memphis, this is really about getting out from under Grant’s contract without needing extra assets attached. That $36.4 million player option is exactly the kind of money that becomes a headache fast on a rebuilding roster. In its place, they get Williams on an expiring deal and Allen on a much friendlier, easier-to-move contract.
Allen especially could hold real value closer to the deadline. Teams are always hunting for shooting, and his career three-point mark is still north of 40% despite last season’s dip. Memphis could give him 25 minutes a night, let his numbers climb back up, then flip him later for another second-rounder or a young piece.
The two Timberwolves seconds aren’t thrilling on their own, but Grant’s salary was never going to fetch a huge return anyway. Memphis picked him up as the veteran money in the Morant trade, not as a cornerstone. Turning him into two lighter contracts, a couple extra picks, and nearly $17.0 million in 2027-28 flexibility is a perfectly solid follow-up move.
Charlotte shouldn’t be giving up a first-round pick for this. Grant’s 32, expensive, and almost certainly picking up that player option unless his market somehow takes off. Two seconds is a fair price for Memphis to clean up the books and move forward.
Final Verdict
This deal doesn’t turn Charlotte into a contender overnight, but a starting five of Coby White, Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Jerami Grant, and Naz Reid would be genuinely fun to watch. Shooting, scoring, size on the wings… enough talent to at least compete for a playoff spot. For Memphis, it’s simple rebuilding logic. Grab the picks, break up the big contract, and hand more minutes to Boozer. No need to overthink this one.
