The Trail Blazers‘ starting lineup when their season tips off on Wednesday vs. Minnesota will consist of Jrue Holiday and Shaedon Sharpe in the backcourt, Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija at forward, and Donovan Clingan in the middle, tweets Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report.
That means forward Jerami Grant will come off the bench for the first time since joining the Blazers in 2022 — and the first time since he was a member of the Nuggets during the 2019/20 season.
Grant, who was traded from Detroit to Portland during the 2022 offseason, has started all 164 games he has played for the team since then, averaging 18.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 34.1 minutes per game across those three seasons.
The 31-year-old is the second-highest-paid player on the roster, just behind Holiday, and remains under contract for at least two more years beyond this one, with a player option for 2027/28. However, he has been surpassed on the depth chart by Camara and Avdija, two younger players who look like long-term fixtures in Portland. Camara just signed a four-year contract extension with the team and is locked up through 2029/30, while Avdija has three guaranteed years left on his deal.
Asked about the possibility of coming off the bench at media day last month, Grant replied, “I don’t really expect that.” He later sought to clarify that he wouldn’t become disgruntled if he doesn’t end up starting, indicating that he’d be “fine” with it.
While the Blazers’ decision to move Grant out of the starting five doesn’t come as much of a surprise, given the way that Camara and Avdija have emerged, it’s still a situation worth keeping an eye on during the first half of the season. The veteran forward looks like a potential trade candidate, but he has three years and $102.6MM left on his contract and is coming off an injury-plagued season in which he was limited to 47 games, so his value on the trade market would be extremely limited right now.
Trade Grant and Holiday for Rozier, Nurkic and other expiring contracts.
They need a star SF prospect and a young shooting PF on a two way contract
The Blazers don’t need to bring back Nurkic because the Center position is well covered with Clingan, Hansen & Reath. As for your so called Star SF the Blazers have Advija who is a star & as for a young PF they have one in Camara who is entering his 3rd NBA Season
You can flat out waive Nurkic, Rozier and others. It’s to shed salary. Sign one veteran in James Johnson or Taj Gibson to show the young guys some things
I agree with Advija and Camara. Both 25. I’m just saying get a SF and PF who are younger than that, maybe 20-22 years old. I’m not saying anything outer than to get a SF and PF prospects.
Rozier and Nurkic are salary dumps if you see most post a couple days ago
You think Holiday will want to be a Blazer next season
PG. Henderson, veteran sign, TW Love Injured D. Lillard
SG. Sharpe, veteran sign, Rupert
SF. Avdija, Thybulle, Murray, TW Cissoko/SF prospect
PF. Camara, R Williams/maybe waive, veteran sign, TW PF prospect
C . Clingan, Hansen, Reath
Traded Holiday and Grant
Get Rozier, Nurkic and Niang
Waive Rozier, Nurkic, Niang, Wesley and maybe R Williams
You pick the veterans to sign and the two prospects
What do you think?
Banton, Butler, Dinwiddie, Elfrid Payton, Dennis Smith are all PG’s who can be a backup. Butler is hot right now
Josh Richardson or Alec Burks can play backup SG veteran. James Johnson for a veteran in the locker room and sign Bates to be the SF prospect. Sign Tyler Smith to be the PF prospect
Sorry but the Blazers don’t need Rozier who is like Chumpcy Billups & facing Federal Charges in the Gambling Scandal. the players that should be traded is Grant & Williams & the Blazers don’t need a crusty Center like Gibson plus I believe the Blazers have several young core players they just need a proven HC & GM that are not horrendous like Chumpsy & Cronin
I wrote this before the federal charges and plus I said waive Rozier. I don’t think you read people’s comments
Should they have drafted Coward?
Random question. Has anyone bought a Coward jersey?
Amen
Trade Grant to Hawks or Pacers
With a lineup of Avdija, Camara, Clingan, Hansen, and Holiday, Portland would project to have no weak links on defense.
He fits in Atlanta
A weak link would be Starting Hansen & not starting Sharpe
Lakers should get Grant. You get him cheap. He is better than Rui.!imo hes a great third option. 2way guy. Lakers save him …
Someone please save Middleton and Keldon Johnson too
Cheap and Grant shouldn’t be in the same sentence.
Plus is he rly better than Rui? Even if so, definitely not enough to justify the $.
Yeah ok …. Rui is the guy.,
The Blazers needs to trade Grant but the Idiotic contract that Joe Cronin signed him to will make it extremely difficult to move him