The Portland Trail Blazers had every reason to explore a Jerami Grant trade at the deadline. He’s 32, on a sizeable contract, and playing some of his best basketball this season-but he's also on a different timeline than the Blazers' young core.
So when the front office ultimately decided to hold onto him, it raised some eyebrows. But here we are, just days later, and it’s already looking like the right move.
Grant’s value to this team isn’t just in the box score-it’s in the moments that matter.
Let’s start with the obvious: Portland is in the playoff hunt. This isn’t a team tanking for draft position-they’re competing.
And with a roster full of young talent like Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Donovan Clingan, and Scoot Henderson, there’s a lot to be excited about. But playoff basketball is a different animal.
The pace slows down, defensive schemes tighten, and every possession feels like it carries the weight of the season. That’s where experience becomes a premium commodity-and that’s exactly what Jerami Grant brings.
He’s been through the fire. Six playoff series under his belt, including a Western Conference Finals run with the Nuggets back in 2020.
He knows what it takes to win when the pressure ramps up. And more importantly, he knows how to lead.
We saw that leadership on full display in Portland’s recent win over the Grizzlies. Grant dropped 29 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including two clutch threes in the final three minutes that helped seal the game.
That wasn’t just a strong performance-it was a statement. The kind of game that validates the front office’s decision to keep him around.
When the game tightened up, Grant didn’t blink. He delivered.
**Statistically, Grant has bounced back in a big way this season. ** After a frustrating 2024-25 campaign, he’s averaging 19.1 points per game while shooting 44.0% from the field and a sharp 38.2% from three.
He’s been effective whether starting or coming off the bench, and he’s done it without stunting the growth of the Blazers’ young core. That’s a tough balance to strike-being a go-to scorer while still giving space for developing players to grow-and Grant’s managing it like a pro.
And let’s be real: as talented as Portland’s young players are, the postseason is a different stage. Someone-maybe multiple players-is going to hit a wall in their first playoff series.
That’s not a knock; it’s just part of the learning curve in the NBA. When that happens, the Blazers will need someone steady.
Someone who’s been there. Someone who can carry the load when the moment gets heavy.
That someone is Jerami Grant.
Could Portland have moved him for picks or a young prospect? Sure.
But what they’d lose in return is hard to quantify. You can’t teach playoff poise.
You can’t replace a veteran voice in the locker room with a future second-rounder. And you definitely can’t count on a rookie to hit back-to-back daggers in crunch time the way Grant just did.
Right now, he’s the perfect bridge between what the Blazers are building and what they’re trying to become. A steadying force, a proven scorer, and a leader who can guide this young group into uncharted territory. The playoffs are coming-and Portland’s going to be glad Jerami Grant is still wearing their jersey when they get there.