Blazers land standout forward in trade with Eastern Conference team
Dec 16, 2019; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Damian Lillard appears to be getting some reinforcements for next season.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported on Wednesday that the Portland Trail Blazers have acquired forward Jerami Grant in a trade with the Detroit Pistons. Portland will be sending a 2025 first-round pick (via the Milwaukee Bucks) to Detroit as part of the deal.
The two teams will also be swapping 2022 second-round picks. Additionally, Detroit will get the more favorable of two 2026 second-round picks between Portland and New Orleans (in exchange for sending a 2025 second-rounder back to Portland).
The 28-year-old Grant had averaged 20.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game over the last two seasons with the Pistons. He is only under contract for one more season, which may explain how Portland was able to land him without surrendering their No. 7 overall pick in this year’s draft.
Grant was already being linked to Portland over the last several weeks. Now the Blazers have officially gotten their guy, a potent secondary scorer and defender to flank Lillard with. That could also mean Portland is out of the running for another big name they had reportedly been targeting.
