The Los Angeles Lakers were given some financial flexibility, as LeBron James took a slight pay cut to help the team stay under the second apron. That means the Lakers are able to aggregate players in trades and won’t face other restrictions.
In a proposed trade from Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report, the Lakers would be able to make a trade that lands rumored trade target Jerami Grant due to being able to aggregate salaries.
Lakers would get: Grant
Portland Trail Blazers would get: D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, 2031 first-round pick
“And all the Lakers have to do to get to Jerami Grant’s cap number is move D’Angelo Russell (which would mean more on-ball opportunities for Austin Reaves) and Jarred Vanderbilt (who was limited to 581 minutes by injuries in 2023-24).
“Of course, Portland is likely going to want more than that. Russell and Vanderbilt wouldn’t be long for the rebuilding Blazers. In fact, they could probably flip either or both before February’s trade deadline,” Bailey wrote on July 9. “The bigger get here is a first-round pick. Portland fans may think Grant could fetch more than one. That may be true, but his lack of rebounding and playmaking, as well as the length of his contract, could limit his value around the league.”
Lakers Rumored Interest in Grant: HoopsHype
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on July 2 that the Los Angeles Lakers were interested in DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan was traded to the Sacramento Kings in a sign-and-trade deal on July 6, making him one less candidate for the Lakers to target.
However, Scotto added that they’re also interested in Grant and mentioned his connection with James and Anthony Davis, as they’re all represented by Klutch Sports Group.
“In addition to DeRozan, another notable player the Lakers have interest in besides DeRozan is Blazers forward Jerami Grant, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote. “Grant, represented by Klutch Sports Group with Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, has shot 40.2 percent from 3-point range and averaged 20.7 points the past two years in Portland. Grant’s ability to guard up to four positions is also intriguing.”
Grant’s 3-Point Shooting Could Help the Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers’ inability to shoot 3-point shots at a high rate over the past few seasons has been concerning.
In 2023-24, the Lakers attempted the fewest per game in the entire NBA.
New head coach JJ Redick is reportedly looking to change that, saying in his introductory press conference that he’s “going to use math,” according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
Buha added that for the Lakers to be contenders again, they’ll have to take more 3-pointers, as that’s a clear recipe for success.
“Last season, the Lakers ranked 28th in 3-point attempts per game. They’ve never ranked higher than 17th in the LeBron James-Anthony Davis era,” Buha wrote on June 25. “They’ve ranked in the bottom seven in three of their five seasons together. For Los Angeles to truly contend again, it must reverse its 3-point aversion.”
The Boston Celtics attempted the most 3-pointers per game in the regular season, and the Dallas Mavericks attempted the second most. Both teams made the NBA finals in large part because of their ability to shoot 3-pointers.
Grant, who’s attempted at least 5.1 per game since the 2019-2020 season, shot 40.2% from 3-point range last year and 40.1% the previous season.
