Portland Trail Blazers looking at big trade for Eastern Conference forward
New Orleans keeps their pick
If Portland doesn’t get the Pelican’s pick, it becomes a lot more tricky to put a deal together for Grant. If Portland ends up with only its own pick and that pick lands somewhere between sixth and eighth, the value of that pick is still worth more than Grant. However, to be fair, adding Grant helps this team immediately, while whoever they pick would need time to develop.
In that situation, it might be a good idea to trade down and acquire additional assets. An example would be trying to move the seventh pick for the 12th pick and maybe get a future first rounder in the package. Portland still has a prime pick to offer for Jerami Grant but would also retain a future number one.
If Portland’s own pick ends up in the top three, that would be when Cronin needs to slow down on the Jerami Grant trade talks. There are three high-talented power forwards projected to be at the top of the draft class, Jabari Smith (Auburn), Paolo Banchero (Duke), and Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga).
The Blazers have to take one of those power forwards as all three have a higher ceiling than Grant. 2022-23 is the last year of his contract. If he does come to Portland, the Blazers will need to negotiate an extension which will be expensive. The team saves a lot of money, which they could use elsewhere, by not dealing for Grant and drafting a top forward.
Portland has more than enough cap space to afford him. So trading for Grant and drafting a forward early in Round 1 aren’t mutually exclusive options.
"A guy that I'm told they're going to look at closely is Jerami Grant."
NBA Insider @ShamsCharania reports that the Trail Blazers could pursue the Pistons forward this offseason. #TheRally pic.twitter.com/kxYSe9q1cp
— The Rally (@TheRally) March 21, 2022
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