The Trail Blazers have offered Jerami Grant a contract extension worth $112.65MM over four years, sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
The veteran forward has yet to accept the offer, and it doesn’t sound like he plans to in the future. As Fischer writes, there’s no indication that Grant wants out of Portland — quite the opposite — so the reasoning is financial.
Four years and $112.65MM is the maximum amount the Blazers can currently offer due to the limitations of veteran extensions. However, they hold his Bird Rights, so if he waits until free agency, Portland would be able to offer him more years and more money than any other team — up to a projected $233MM over five years.
As Fischer notes, the “upper range” of that free agency figure probably isn’t realistic for Grant. It’s unclear how much money the veteran forward would seek, but it seems pretty evident that it will be north of $28MM annually, since that’s what the current offer amounts to.
Earlier this month, Grant spoke glowingly about his time in Portland and the team’s environment.
“I definitely like it here; love it here,” Grant told Jason Quick of The Athletic. “The guys have been very welcoming, it’s definitely a family environment, everybody is super cool, got good guys on the team, great organization — (GM) Joe (Cronin), (head coach) Chauncey (Billups), everything. I’m definitely enjoying it here.”
When told that his comments didn’t paint the picture of a situation a player would want to leave Portland, Grant laughed and replied, “I ain’t really plan on leaving.”
Through 46 games (35.7 MPG), Grant is averaging 21.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.9 SPG and 0.8 BPG. He’s also scoring more efficiently than ever before, posting a traditional slash line of .488/.424/.796 and a career-high .615 true shooting percentage.
Comparable to Andrew Wiggins contract extension
4-year $109 million
The 27-year-old Wiggins will remain with the Warriors after playing a pivotal role for the 2022 NBA champs. The former No. 1 pick was key to the Warriors’ title run in 2022.
Wiggins was an all-star starter in 2022
Comparable to Siakam
$36 million per year ($72 MM remaining)
Why Siakam is overpaid?
Raptors are 12th seed now. Raptors top 6 players are all relatively healthy compared to other teams.
Blazers are also 12th seed now.
If you are the 12th seed and you are healthy, it means some of your starters are overpaid.
I mean he has made All Star and All NBA teams, but Toronto can’t afford to just let a guy like that sign somewhere else without a return
I was thinking to trade Grant
Raptors get Grant, Hart and Winslow
Blazers get Siakam
Raptors are likely to say no because they don’t want to overpay Grant.
Whoever ask for overpaid contract, his trade value is low.
I guess most of the expiring crap ask for overpaid contract
Sillivan I believe you make a good candidate for a brain transplant my friend
Sillivan’s logic is nearly always baffling. He makes me believe Curly Howard could have played Hamlet. Silli oughta be on the all-star team.
Great analogy
Grant is likely to regret turning down 4/112. I’m always for guys betting on themselves but over 28 a year is a big risk.
Man, I wish I could make 28 million in my lifetime….lol
You could, but not with that attitude Lol
This could end up being a big mistake
TAKE the money and sign the extension. You could be the next Shroeder.
Grant is leveraging the situation. POR has defined its organizational success not in terms of winning a championship, but in terms of pleasing Lillard. They spent the past year in a major restructuring to please Lillard. Yet, they look pretty much the same except for Grant. I honestly don’t know how you can make as many moves as they did and come to that result, but it apparently worked, Lillard is pleased, or so he says.
Point is, absent a career altering injury, I can’t see this feeble POR FO playing hardball with Grant after the season. At a minimum he’ll get the offer he currently has, and almost certainly some increment on it. Otherwise, Lillard might not be pleased.