The Golden State Warriors are in dire need of making a trade, especially among Western Conference teams, and they have less than 48 hours left to make a move. Greg Swartz, writing for Bleacher Report on February 6, identified the Warriors as the prime destination for Portland Trail Blazers’ forward Jerami Grant, proposing a trade involving Andrew Wiggins and future draft picks.
Remember last season when Andrew Wiggins was shooting nearly 40 percent from three, playing strong defense and helping the Warriors win a playoff series? That could be Jerami Grant now.
With Wiggins struggling, Golden State needs another forward who can defend multiple positions, shoot the lights out from three and be a reliable second or third scoring option every night.
The Warriors could see if Portland would be interested in a Grant-for-Wiggins swap with some draft picks thrown in as incentive, or they could use Chris Paul’s expiring contract to help facilitate a deal.
Grant demonstrates versatility on offense, averaging 21.3 points per game in the 2023-24 season, marking the second-highest total of his career, according to Basketball Reference. He maintains a 40.3% success rate from the 3-point line on 5.1 attempts per game and shoots 48.9% from inside the arc.
On the defensive end, the 6’7″, 210-pound Grant can guard various front-court positions, though his effectiveness in doing so is questionable. Despite his efforts, his defensive rating stands at 120.1, as per StatMuse. To put this in perspective, the league leader in this category, Rudy Gobert, has a defensive rating of 103.9, more than 16 points better than Grant’s.
Comparatively, Wiggins’ defensive rating sits at 120.2. Hence, while Grant and Wiggins are almost equal defensively, Grant brings additional physicality with his frame and notably outperforms Wiggins offensively this season. Wiggins averages just 12.2 points per game, a decrease of 4.9 points from the previous year, and shoots 31.1% from beyond the arc across 42 appearances (31 starts).
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There isn’t a perfect trade scenario for the Warriors, and acquiring Grant presents more challenges beyond just a lateral defensive move. Grant’s hefty contract, signed with Portland over the offseason, extends for four more years after this one, with a player-option for the 2027-28 season.
While acquiring Grant wouldn’t solve the Warriors’ financial concerns, it would compound them by adding more years and dollars. However, with players like Paul and Klay Thompson on expiring contracts, there’s an opportunity for financial flexibility.
Trading Paul before the deadline or letting him go in the offseason could free up $30 million for the next season, while Thompson’s potential return, likely at a reduced salary given his performance, could further alter the salary cap landscape for the Warriors. This could make Grant’s contract more feasible for the team’s long-term plans, especially if both Wiggins and Paul are off the books and Thompson returns at a discounted rate.
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