THE Portland Trail Blazers And The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked for some time as potential business partners under a Jerami grant agreement.
Now, a new iteration of a potential deal has emerged Zach Buckley, journalist at Bleacher Report.
The Los Angeles Lakers host: Jerami Grant and Duop Reath
The Portland Trail Blazers host: D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick (via LAC)
Portland, meanwhile, is likely eager to get rid of the costly pact Grant signed last summer.RIGHT before Damian Lillard left, and Los Angeles emerged as a possible landing spot.
The Blazers wouldn’t have much interest in 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 overall pick, while adding two draft picks to help with its post-Lillard overhaul.
Russell is there to match salaries, but if this deal were to get done before the trade deadline, perhaps the Blazers could look to trade him for another asset or two to help them going forward.
The bulk of the deal gives the Blazers a solid defender and a backup power forward at Vanderbilt, as well as (essentially) two first-round picks if you want to count Hood-Schifino, a 2023 first-round pick, as another draft asset.
Hood-Schifino, 21, played just 21 games last season due to injury.
While the Blazers could hold out and hope for more, this is a solid package they should consider if presented with it.
