The Pelicans’ play-in victories last week were bad news for the Trail Blazers, who would’ve received New Orleans’ 2022 first-round pick if it had fallen between No. 5 and No. 14. Having missed out on that pick, which ended up at No. 15, Portland will instead receive Milwaukee’s 2025 first-rounder (top-four protected). That future pick won’t be as valuable in trade talks for a team looking to accelerate its rebuild this offseason.
According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, it’s clear based on conversation with league personnel that the Blazers were operating under the assumption they’d have two lottery picks available, and there was a sense they’d try to use one of them to acquire an impact veteran like Pistons forward Jerami Grant.
“That was a big deal to them,” a Western Conference official told Fischer. “The expectation was certainly, ‘Once we get this pick, we’ll turn it into someone. We’ll overpay to get someone.'”
As Fischer and others reported at the trade deadline in February, the Pistons were seeking either two first-round picks or a first-round pick and a promising young player (such as Bulls forward Patrick Williams) in exchange for Grant. Detroit’s asking price will likely be similar this offseason, though there’s some skepticism it will be met, Fischer writes.
The Blazers’ willingness to overpay for a player like Grant will be diminished by the fact that they missed out on New Orleans’ lottery pick, according to Fischer, who says Portland hasn’t shown any desire to trade its own lottery pick, which will almost certainly land in the top eight.
Here’s more from Fischer on the Blazers:
- Damian Lillard has indicated to the Blazers’ front office that he’d like to play alongside a “two-way, rangy” wing, sources tell Bleacher Report. In addition to Grant, Fischer names Aaron Gordon, Ben Simmons, and Jaylen Brown as players who would appeal to Lillard, though it’s unclear whether any of them will be available this offseason — Brown, certainly, appears to be off the table.
- According to Fischer, interim general manager Joe Cronin appears likely to keep the Blazers’ GM job on a full-time basis. However, it’s possible the team will ultimately hire someone above him in the basketball operations hierarchy, like Philadelphia did by bringing in Daryl Morey to run a front office previously led by GM Elton Brand. Fischer’s sources are split on whether such a move is likely.
- Since the regular season ended, multiple sources have suggested to Fischer that the Blazers could begin exploring the market for new ownership as early as this summer. Some league insiders believe a sale of the franchise could be completed before the end of 2023, Fischer adds. Jody Allen – the sister of longtime Blazers owner Paul Allen, who passed away in 2018 – currently controls the team.
If getting the Pelicans’ would-be lottery pick was going to lead to them overpaying for Jerami Grant, perhaps it’s better that that didn’t work out
If the early returns from the Blazers front office are a sign of things to come, fans should get used to continued disappointment
They were sure that the Pelicans wouldn’t win their play-in games? Really? You trade a very good player to them, the West’s play-in teams weren’t likely to be threatening, they had already been starting to play better…there was no reason to be so sure of that fact. Just sheer incompetence. And this is on top of the Powell and Covington salary dump.
Fischer is making this up. Nobody (even POR’s new FO chief) is trading a lottery pick for Grant. Even more certain, nobody (least of all CHI’s savvy FO chief) is trading PW for Grant (or trading him at all really).
I like Grant. He’s a very high end role player. Even north of 20 mm / year, his contract has real value. But NOT even close to what we’re told DET wants.
High end role player? He played for team USA for a reason, and it is not because he is a role player. Grant can shoot the 3 ball and has proven to be able to be more than a role player in Detroit. One of the main reasons he signed in Detroit was to show this.
Luckily we have a competent front office now in place. Grant averaged 22 ppg last year and over 20 this year with greater than 35% average from 3’s. He has shown he is more than a role player the last two years.
I hope we keep the price high for him, he isn’t someone we need to get rid of. We are very happy with Grant in Detroit and he is happy to be here and still only 27
Easy, use this year’s pick for a two way rangy wing like Raps did w. Scottie Barnes. Give a contract to Simons. Still have a good center and Josh Hart. Should be a solid season, but Dame will not win yet.
Still getting that 1st round pick in 2025 and it will be becoming a good trade value (not this year, but going forward). Rebuild needs patience…
The last time Detroit traded a star player, it helped the Rams win a Supe. Call it a curse. Interesting to see who gets Grant.