The Los Angeles Lakers could be in the mix to land an impact player after a quiet offseason so far. After finishing eighth in the tough Western Conference and losing in the first round, the Lakers need to do something if they want to compete with the other top teams in the conference.
Searching for players to improve the roster, Isaac Gutierrez of Bleacher Report listed 10 trade targets for the Lakers, including the “best” option in Jerami Grant.
“Jerami Grant, this is probably the best option, I think,” Gutierrez said on July 23. “He makes $30 million a year, he’s 30-years-old. So, this isn’t a player like a Kessler or Wendell Carter, or even Collin Sexton, that’s going to be somebody that’s like a bridge to your next era, right? This is a win-now player, absolutely.
“If you make this move, it’s because you believe that he can be the difference between you being a play-in team and you being a top-five seed and trying to contend right now when LeBron James is still a lot.”
Lakers Have Reported Interest in Grant
There have been rumors about the Los Angeles Lakers interest in Grant, who could be the player the team’s missing as a 3-and-D wing.
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Grant was on the “Lakers’ wishlist” before the NBA draft.
“Jerami Grant, a client of Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, is believed to be another potential addition on the Lakers’ wishlist, according to league sources,” Fischer wrote on June 24.
Despite the draft happening and the Lakers not making a deal for Grant during it, there’s still a path to land him. They have two tradeable first-round picks and multiple pick swaps to interest the Portland Trail Blazers.
Being a Klutch Sports client is also important, as LeBron James and CEO Rich Paul have had a strong relationship since he joined James’ inner circle after the 2003 NBA draft.
Grant Has ‘One of the Worst’ Contracts Around the NBA
If there’s one worry about trading for Grant, it’d be his contract situation. He signed a five-year, $160 million last year and is set to make more than $32 million in each season from 2025-2028.
Trading for Grant with the new apron rules would make it difficult to build the rest of their roster.
Matt Levine of Sports Illustrated wrote that his contract “is one of the worst around the NBA” and that getting stuck with it would be “detrimental” to the Lakers’ future.
“Parting ways with multiple draft picks for a player like Grant would be detrimental to the future of the team,” Levine wrote on July 8. “Grant is a good player but his contract is one of the worst around the NBA and the Lakers don’t want to get stuck with it.”
Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports spoke to an executive about his contract, and the executive also believes that his contract is an issue.
“Not with his contract. He is going to make $30 (million) next year $32 the year after that,” an executive said on July 8. “Then he has two more years. You can’t pay your third option $34, 35 million. If Portland wants the Lakers, the Heat, any of these teams to take him, they’ve got to recognize that.”
The Lakers are in a position where they might have to take some risks with James and Anthony Davis only getting older, so Grant might be the best option available.
He averaged 21.0 points and shot 40.2% from 3-point range on 5.1 attempts per game last season, which would help the Lakers as they look to improve from behind the arc.
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