After a rowdy offseason that saw them re-signing Dejounte Murray to a long-term deal and trading John Collins to the Utah Jazz, the Atlanta Hawks have underperformed in 2023-24.
To be fair, after gaining early momentum at the start of the 2023-24 season with a 6-4 record, the Hawks were bit by an injury bug that slowed the breakout campaign of third-year forward Jalen Johnson.
Stepping up in the absence of Collins, Johnson’s athleticism and versatility have allowed him to make a sizable impact for Atlanta. Now a frontcourt glue piece, his and De’Andre Hunter’s offseason improvements have helped the Hawks run a more fluid and balanced offense than they’ve had in years past.
However, despite this development, Atlanta is linked to myriad frontcourt players ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline.
That said, while a player like Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam could help the Hawks fully spread their wings, the best addition for Atlanta has been taking flights on the West Coast: Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant.
Jerami Grant: Darkhorse Trade Addition for Hawks?
The Trade Proposal
Blazers receive: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Onyeka Okongwu, 2024 first-round pick
Hawks receive: Jerami Grant
The Hawks surrender an excellent sixth man in Bogdanovic. However, the acquisition of Grant would result in Murray or Hunter coming off the bench, regardless.
To that point, Murray is a more dynamic offensive threat than Hunter. Furthermore, he can ease the pressure off of Trae Young as a ball-handler and playmaker.
Consequently, Hunter is more likely to be the odd man out of the starting lineup than Murray.
The resulting starting lineup would see Grant starring alongside Young, Murray, Jalen Johnson, and Clint Capela.
What Jerami Grant Brings to the Hawks
29-year-old Grant is constantly hovering around star level, averaging 20.9 points per game over the past four seasons.
A former second-round pick, Grant’s self-confidence and work ethic have allowed him to become a core scorer. Adept at creating scoring opportunities for himself off the dribble, out of the post, and capitalizing off-ball, Grant is essentially the perfect fit for the Hawks’ frontcourt.
A soft shooting touch bolsters his dynamic skillset as a scorer. Unaffected by changing teams or teammates, Grant made 44.9% of his field goal attempts and 38% of his three-point attempts over the past four seasons.
Though far from a point-forward, he constantly works the ball around the court to play a team game. This fact may seem negligible, but not for a team that’s had issues with ball movement in the past.
On the less glamorous end, Grant is also impactful. A highly switchable defender due to his fluid athleticism, length (six-foot-seven with a seven-foot-three wingspan), and competitive mindset, he’ll be a quality on-ball defender for a team that doesn’t have enough of them.
Furthermore, when looking at the financial implications of such a deal, Grant is under contract through the 2026-27 season (with a player option on his contract for the 2027-28 season). This fits nicely with Young, who is also under contract through the 2026-27 season.
The Complications of Trading for Pascal Siakam
Hardly a month goes by without Murray, Hunter, or Capela finding themselves in trade conversations. For the past year, these have primarily been with Siakam in mind.
However, with Siakam on the final season of a four-year, $136.9 million contract, trading for the Raptors star may be impractical. This is despite the rationale that a Siakam trade is somewhat simple regarding his on-court fit.
On the court, he and Young – the face of the Atlanta Hawks’ franchise – could be just what the doctor ordered. A proven scorer and two-way playmaker who’s already helped the Raptors win a ring, he and Young are the type of one-two-punch teams often need to excel in the NBA, especially in the playoffs.
Furthermore, given how Murray, Hunter and Johnson have shot the ball from beyond the arc this season, there are multiple starting lineup configurations in which Siakam fits neatly.
Off the court, Siakam may take a liking to the Atlanta metropolis and its vibrant African community. A promising on-court performance by the Hawks post-trade and a growing affinity towards the city could entice Siakam to re-sign.
But why go through all the fuss of acquiring Spicy P and navigating through his inevitable free agency saga if Grant is already signed to a long-term contract? Why go through all that fuss when Grant is a better fit?
To add, while there was once a feasible fit for Murray or Hunter in Toronto, recent Raptors additions Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett are now presumably in the roles that Toronto would have had Murray and Hunter playing.
Who’s to say there’s still a feasible deal on the table?
Smoke & Mirrors or an Unclear Picture?
There’s clearly been a lot of attention on Siakam.
However, is the constant stream of trade rumors involving him simply a case of insiders asking more about him than other players?
To that point, Siakam is the only All-Star and NBA champion between the two. Like all leagues, stars generate more attention than anyone, and Siakam undoubtedly drives plenty north of the border.
That said, front offices aren’t above a bit of trickery.
While everybody makes calls on Siakam, driving up the price with increased demand, a shrewd franchise may look to steal a player like Grant. Because his demand is not as high, his comparative trade value likely reflects that.
Of course, teams aren’t interested in selling low on their best players, barring unscrupulous behavior or a scandal. Creating a trade package that the Blazers would accept for Grant wouldn’t be a walk in the park, either.
The Complications of Trading for Jerami Grant
The Blazers have a promising perimeter trio in Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe.
Sharpe, who averages 16.2 points per game, comes off the bench in favor of Grant. However, the high-flying 20-year-old has flashed star potential since being drafted seventh overall in 2022.
A similar sentiment can be shared about Henderson. The third overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Henderson has recently taken the reins as starting point guard.
The skilled Simons, only 24 years old, has averaged 22.9 points per game over the past two seasons.
Trading Grant undoubtedly takes away a key scorer for them. Yet, the Blazers have plenty of players that have shown the ability to replace Grant’s scoring.
In any case, defensive-minded rookie forward Toumani Camara is perhaps their weakest link in the starting lineup. Their splash acquisition from the 2023 offseason – center Deandre Ayton – has left more to be desired than anyone.
Subsequently, a frontcourt player – Johnson or Okongwu – should entice the Blazers the most.
Unfortunately, both Atlanta and Portland likely prefer to have Johnson on their roster. Between the two, he has the more dynamic skillset and the production to match.
Bye Bye Bogi?
For that reason, sharpshooter Bogdanovic should be offered in a trade package with Okongwu. Recently, as the top Serbian player of 2023 over reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, Bogdanovic is averaging 17.7 points per game this season.
Now 31 years old, Bogdanovic doesn’t fit the rebuilding Trail Blazers’ timeline. Nonetheless, given his production and that he and Grant are separated by just 1.5 years of age, this fact may be less of a hindrance than it seems.
Logistics aside, consider that the Hawks sit just outside the play-in range.
They’re 3-8 without Hunter and 4-10 without Johnson. So, the question for the Hawks has two parts to it.
Do they have the talent to contend with the top teams in the league, and do they have the health?
Grant has missed an average of 27 games over his last three NBA campaigns. This season, he’s played in 32 of Portland’s 36 games.
Hopefully, this is a sign that he’s regaining durability, as Grant played at least 70 games for four consecutive seasons. However, it seems unwise to be overly optimistic about his injury history.
The Last Word
There are multiple frontcourt stars rumored to be available who would fit alongside Young and Co. Yet, when assessing those players’ abilities, Jerami Grant is the most sensible fit for the Hawks.
This only becomes more true when factoring in his contract status. Still in his prime, Grant will be in prime position to move in lockstep with a Hawks core approaching theirs.
