NBA Rumors: Insider points at Lakers' plan to acquire Trail Blazers forward
The Los Angeles Lakers have been silent in the offseason so far after missing out on top free agents Paul George, Klay Thompson, and DeMar DeRozan. While the world is busy for the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Lakers may just sneak a move that could add firepower to the roster next season.
ESPN insider Zach Lowe has implied that the Lakers could be closing in on a deal that would bring Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant to the team.
“Should we start printing the Jerami Grant-Lakers jerseys, by the way?” Lowe said. “Should we just do it now? I think we — I might order one.”
He said this while previewing the Western Conference in his podcast “The Lowe Post." It was a blink-and-you-missed-it part of the hour-long podcast.
Grant has long been linked to LA as the Blazers forward’s agent Rich Paul also represents the Lakers’ top stars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. According to Portland reporter Danny Marang, this connection has been pivotal in facilitating previous and future trade proposals for Grant.
“As I understand it, Klutch was hoping to help facilitate a deal there and they got the Lakers to say, yeah they’d be willing to trade two ones for Jerami and then when it came time to do it, Pelinka balked,” he said during an episode of Jacked Ramsays: A Portland Trail Blazers Podcast.
LA has only reportedly offered two first-round picks for Grant as his contract is considered a negative in negotiations. The Blazers forward is only in the second year of a massive five-year, $160 million deal. He got $29.7 million last year and will increase to $36.4 million in the final year.
If traded to LA, the team will absorb the hefty deal, potentially putting them in the NBA's dreaded second apron, which heavily restricts them in roster construction.
Lakers insider expresses concern about Jerami Grant’s fit with Los Angeles
LA insider Jovan Buha has expressed concern about Jerami Grant’s fit with the team, citing his age, defensive mobility, and his willingness to take a backseat behind James, and Davis.
"The thing I like most about Jeremy Grant is I think he could play the three or the four. He theoretically can. I don't think he's quite the same level as a defender as he was a few years ago before he broke out in Detroit. He wanted to take that step and he proved he can be a number one or number two option," Buha said. [38:27 - 39:00]
"If you slot him in as like the number three or number four guy on this roster and you can imagine he gets the second unit reps."
Notably, Grant left the Denver Nuggets in 2020 as he refused to take a lesser role alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. He is now 30 years old and playing in a rebuilding squad.