The Los Angeles Lakers aren't entering the 2024-25 NBA season with a marquee offseason addition, with rookie Dalton Knecht arguably the only rotational player they added this summer. The franchise will want to make a push for a championship with LeBron James and Anthony Davis despite not showing that desire in how they approached their roster-building this offseason. Nonetheless, a late-summer trade could still salvage their offseason.
The Portland Trail Blazers are in full rebuild mode with an exciting young core of players, alongside a veteran wing presence like Jerami Grant. Given the length and price of Grant's long-term contract which expires in 2028, the Blazers might be incentivized to let him go for a cheap price providing it doesn't tie up long-term cap space. The Lakers could have the perfect offer to get Grant and his expensive contract out of Portland.
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Jerami Grant
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2025 Second-Round Pick (LAC)
The Lakers add a 3-and-D scorer who can contribute as a 20-point scorer whenever required alongside his strong all-around defensive game. While they sacrifice two guards and a well-fitting Rui Hachimura, they need to make a deal like this to have a chance at being competitive next season. The Blazers get interesting players and a second-round pick which could land in the 30s given the uncertainties around the Clippers.
The Lakers Finally Add A Veteran Wing
The LeBron James era has seen the Lakers splash for a superstar center like Anthony Davis and a supposed superstar point guard like Russell Westbrook. Given James' excellence as a forward, the team hasn't looked to reinforce that aspect of the team outside of role-players in the last six years. LeBron's physical decline is unignorable, meaning it might be time to add someone like Grant on the wing to allow LeBron's focus to be on ball-handling and creation.
Grant averaged 21.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists last season, greatly developing his offensive arsenal over the last few seasons. He's a competent 3-level scorer who can play aggressive defense when required. He hasn't been on a Playoff team since 2020, so the Lakers will be taking a bet that Grant can overcome some of the bad habits in his shot selection which have been ingrained over years with the Pistons and Trail Blazers.
The Lakers lose rotational depth and an interesting young point guard like Hood-Schifino, but this would be a worth-it trade for the Lakers. Grant adds something on both ends of the court for the franchise, with most of the outgoing depth replaceable in many ways. His contract should make his price fall to a point where a first-round pick isn't required, especially with Hood-Schifino and Hachimura involved.
The Trail Blazers Open Up Their Wing Position
The Blazers have a clear direction when you look at the guards and bigs on their roster. Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe are tipped to be the franchise's future starting backcourt, while Donovan Clingan was just drafted this season with the hopes of being a long-term solution at center. They don't have any such obvious talent on the wing, outside summer acquisition Deni Avdija. Instead of keeping Grant as a stop-gab in that position, the Blazers can open up space for a long-term fit.
Hachimura averaged 13.6 points and 4.3 rebounds last season, promising to be a solid option in that role at age 26. However, Hachimura won't be a long-term solution and could be better off being moved to another trade to bring back more assets from this deal. Gabe Vincent barely played last season due to injury, but is a proven veteran guard who could be an option on the Blazers' bench and be a strong influence over the likes of Henderson and Anfernee Simons.
Hood-Schifino will need time to marinate and season, but he promises to be a versatile combo guard who can play either position when required. He would top out as a sixth man behind Henderson, but the value that can be extracted from his development shouldn't be undermined.
One Heads For The Chip, The Other Heads For The Tank
The Lakers and Blazers are on distinctively different timelines right now, with the Blazers hoping the future is ahead of their extremely young core. The Lakers, on the other hand, can see the title window shutting and need to make a move immediately to start the 2024-25 season in a position to compete against the best teams in the West. Adding Grant shows the Lakers are willing to be title contenders, no matter the cost.
The Blazers have a clear direction to sink to the bottom of the standings and get a chance to draft a franchise-changer such as Cooper Flagg. Out of the 15 teams in the West, the Blazers look to be the team with obvious tanking intentions. It could be a game-changer for the franchise, as Flagg would be a superstar prospect. But hoping the lottery will bail you out is always foolish from front offices.
Nonetheless, the top of the 2025 Draft is stacked enough for the Blazers to get significant value for a top-three or even top-five pick. Letting go of the 30-year-old Grant helps them better their chances to tank next season while also getting him off the massive contract extension he signed last season. It's a win-win for both sides.
