Trade Ideas to Propel NBA Prospects to the Top | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats & Rumors

Los Angeles Lakers receive: Jerami Grant and Duop Reath

Portland Trail Blazers receive: D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick (via LAC)

The Lakers have been surprisingly quiet this offseason. Sure, they plucked new coach JJ Redick from the broadcast booth, acquired perhaps the biggest steal of the draft in Dalton Knecht and made a historic late-second-round pick, but the “bigger or bigger swing” that Lakers fans were promised after a lackluster trade deadline never materialized.

There’s still time to reach a deal to raise the cap, and adding Grant should qualify for that.

His stats have been inflated somewhat by playing for basement-dwelling players in recent seasons, but there are only so many ways to criticize his 21-point-per-game average in 2023-24, improved by an efficient 45.1/40.2/81.7 shooting. His volume would decrease playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but Grant could become more efficient on offense and more active on defense.

As a third option — or even fourth, if Austin Reaves makes a breakthrough attempt — Grant is more than equipped for the job. He could function as a near-turbocharged three-and-D forward, offering more slashing and self-sufficient scoring than the label normally applies.

He would also be joined in this hypothetical swap by the intriguing Reath, who would have a real chance to fill the backup 5 role behind Davis. Reath turned heads last season as a 27-year-old rookie, particularly with his unique blend of three-point shooting (2.6 per 36 minutes with a 35.9 percent conversion rate) and shot blocking (1.1 per 36 minutes).

Portland, meanwhile, has likely been itching to get rid of the expensive pact Grant signed last summer.right before Damian Lillard left — and LA has emerged as a possible landing spot.

The Blazers wouldn’t have much use for Russell beyond his expiring $18.7 million salary, but they could covet Vanderbilt as a defensive complement to Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. Portland could also take a close look at Hood-Schifino, last year’s 17th pick, while adding two draft assets to help with the post-Lillard overhaul.