Jerami Grant Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Suns Rumors: Harden, Lillard, Paul, Irving, Russell, More

June 9th, 2023 at 8:04pm CST by Rory Maher

There have been rumors linking James Harden to Phoenix. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM shut down that notion (via Twitter), writing that there’s a “zero percent chance” the Suns would pursue the former MVP.

Gambadoro also said it was “highly unlikely” the Suns would have interest in Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard, pointing out that his large salary might be unpalatable for a roster that’s already top-heavy (Twitter link). On his Burns and Gambo radio show (Twitter link), the plugged-in local reporter stated in stronger terms that the Suns won’t pursue Lillard.

“They’re not getting James Harden, and they’re not getting Damian Lillard,” Gambadoro said.

Here are more rumors on the Suns:

Gambadoro’s reporting on Lillard was seemingly in response to a new piece from Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, who hears from sources who say that the Trail Blazers have shown interest in Deandre Ayton in the past. However, Fischer also downplays Phoenix’s chances of landing Lillard, noting that the Suns don’t have the requisite assets to land a player of his caliber. The Blazers, meanwhile, still hope to build a contender around their all-time leading scorer, and remain intent on re-signing Jerami Grant, sources tell Fischer.
Fischer’s article focuses on Chris Paul‘s uncertain future with the Suns and how it might have a ripple effect around the NBA. Although Lillard and Harden might be unrealistic targets, Fischer writes that the Suns remain intrigued by Kyrie Irving, who is entering unrestricted free agency. As Fischer notes, Irving would basically have to ask the Mavericks for help in a sign-and-trade. Dallas hasn’t shown any interest in helping the Lakers land Irving in a sign-and-trade for D’Angelo Russell, but Fischer wonders if Paul might be more appealing.
Could the Lakers and Suns explore a sign-and-trade involving Russell and Paul? The Suns pursued the 27-year-old impending free agent ahead of the February trade deadline when he was still on the Timberwolves, sources tell Fischer. Big man Naz Reid, who’s also set to hit unrestricted free agency, was another player Phoenix desired in talks with Minnesota, Fischer adds.
Hornets guard Terry Rozier has been linked to Phoenix in the past, but the Suns didn’t pursue him ahead of the trade deadline, sources tell Fischer. Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley, Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, Kings guard Davion Mitchell, and Heat guard Gabe Vincent are among the other backcourt options the Suns have monitored, per Fischer.
Agents that Fischer has talked to believe Paul could get at least part of — if not the full — mid-level exception if he’s waived and becomes an unrestricted free agent. While Paul has been linked to his former club, the Clippers, Fischer notes that they can only offer the veteran’s minimum, and there’s “mutual interest” in a reunion between Russell Westbrook and the Clips.

Pistons Rumors: Burks, Grant, Johnson, Bogdanovic, Frontcourt, More

June 9th, 2023 at 12:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons are expected to pick up their $10.5MM team option on veteran swingman Alec Burks for the 2023/24 season, Michael Scotto said during the latest episode of The HoopsHype podcast. However, Scotto’s guest James L. Edwards of The Athletic believes Detroit will be in the market for at least one more three-and-D wing in free agency, naming Jerami Grant and Cameron Johnson as potential targets.

If the Trail Blazers hang onto Damian Lillard and continue trying to contend immediately, Grant may simply re-sign in Portland. But if the Blazers pivot to a rebuild, the Pistons should be considered a prime suitor for the veteran forward, according to Edwards, who notes that Grant still has a great relationship with general manager Troy Weaver and loves the city of Detroit.

Should the Pistons strike out on top-tier targets like Grant and Johnson, they could pursue lower-level free agents such as Torrey Craig and Yuta Watanabe, per Edwards.

Here’s more on the Pistons:

Scotto has heard that the Pistons still consider Bojan Bogdanovic a core piece, and Edwards agrees that the team seems to want to keep him rather than move him. Still, Edwards notes that if the team makes a big addition at forward (such as Grant or Johnson) and gets a good offer for Bogdanovic, a trade isn’t out of the question.
Scotto has spoken to rival executives who think the addition of James Wiseman to a frontcourt that also includes Jalen Duren and Marvin Bagley III could land Isaiah Stewart on the trade block. Edwards is skeptical though, suggesting that the Pistons saw an opportunity to roll the dice on Wiseman and still like the big men they’ve drafted. “As someone who’s on the ground floor, I think the situation has been misinterpreted a little bit,” Edwards told Scotto. “I think it’s far more likely that Duren and Stewart are the frontcourt. I think Wiseman was a guy they had a chance to get that they liked coming into his draft and see if they could unlock some potential as a backup big or starting big. Right now, it’s Duren and Stewart’s frontcourt job.” Stewart is more likely to be extended than traded this summer, Edwards adds.
Killian Hayes is open to signing a rookie scale extension with Detroit this offseason, according to Scotto. Edwards expects the Pistons to hold off on a new deal though, suggesting the team will wait another year and then evaluate Hayes’ situation in 2024, when he’s eligible for restricted free agency.
Before the Pistons made a last-minute push to hire Monty Williams as their head coach, they were preparing to offer the job to Charles Lee. “His second interview really sealed that home for a lot of people, everyone in the front office, until they sat down as a group, I’m told, and explored and made sure this was what they wanted to do,” Edwards said. “The owner brought up bringing one more run at Monty. They make the run, break the bank, and Monty is the coach.”

Blazers Rumors: Grant, Thybulle, Reddish, No. 3 Pick, Sharpe, More

May 31st, 2023 at 7:42am CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant still appears on track to become a free agent this offseason rather than accepting the maximum four-year, $113MM extension he can sign until June 30. Appearing on the HoopsHype podcast with Michael Scotto, Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report said he doesn’t expect the annual salary on Grant’s next deal to be worth more than about $30MM, but suggests that the forward may be waiting until free agency in order to get a fifth year from Portland.

“I think it’s going to come out around five years, $150 million, with probably a player option,” Highkin said. “I know he gets talked about as one of the top free agents on the market, but I’d expect that gets done pretty quickly. It might even be a (6:01 pm) on June 30th type of signing.”

As for restricted free agents Matisse Thybulle and Cam Reddish, Highkin views Thybulle as the player who is more likely to re-sign with the Blazers, suggesting that the former Sixer will be a priority for the front office. Highkin is less certain about Portland’s appetite for a new deal with Reddish, telling Scotto that the team would probably have interest in bringing back the former lottery pick if the price is right.

Here are more highlights from the conversation between Scotto and Highkin:

Scotto has gotten the sense that the Trail Blazers are comfortable keeping the No. 3 overall pick and drafting either Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson, even as they plan to continue building around Damian Lillard. However, Highkin believes Portland is far more likely to trade the pick for an established veteran, mentioning two-way forwards like Jaylen Brown and Pascal Siakam as potential targets while downplaying the likelihood of the club pursuing offensive-minded players like Zach LaVine. Another Raptors forward, OG Anunoby, has also been linked to the Blazers and would be a good fit on the roster, but Highkin doesn’t expect Portland to give up the No. 3 pick for Anunoby.
There are some people in Portland who believe Shaedon Sharpe has All-Star potential, according to Scotto. Highkin agrees that the Blazers are high on Sharpe and expects he’ll be kept out of any trade that doesn’t return a superstar (“Joel Embiid or something like that”). Anfernee Simons is the more likely trade candidate, Highkin explains, given his larger cap hit and his fit next to Lillard. Sharpe, who has more size and defensive upside than Simons, is the more logical long-term backcourt partner for Dame.
The Blazers may make some changes to their coaching staff this summer to give Chauncey Billups some more experienced assistants, Highkin notes. The organization remains optimistic about Billups’ potential as a head coach and wants to give him an opportunity to lead a more competitive roster, Highkin adds.
When the Blazers signed Jusuf Nurkic to a four-year, $70MM contract last offseason, that didn’t necessarily mean they thought he was their center of the future, according to Highkin, who believes the team is “very open” to moving Nurkic and will explore trade possibilities this summer. Highkin suggests that Nurkic’s willingness to be shut down with a leg injury in 2021/22 when Portland went into tank mode played a part in Portland’s decision to “take care” of him in free agency last summer.

Lowe’s Latest: GM Meetings, Wizards, Blazers, Lue, Kuminga, Harden

May 17th, 2023 at 10:06am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s general managers held their annual meeting in Chicago on draft lottery day and the discussions among those GMs about a handful of competition-related issues were “lively,” according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Insider link).

One of the topics the GMs talked about on Tuesday, according to Lowe, was the idea of turning the NBA draft into a two-day event. They also discussed whether the modern game has tilted too far toward offensive production and considered what could be done to help defenses. Additionally, sources tell Lowe that some executives in attendance suggested bringing back escalating fines as a penalty for players who flop.

Much of the general managers’ conversation revolved around the issue of load management, and Lowe hears from sources that there may be more load management-related rules implemented as soon as next season. According to Lowe, some in attendance at the meetings believe the NBA may revisit its guidelines on when teams are permitted to rest players, as well as the penalties for clubs that violate those guidelines.

Here’s more from Lowe, who was in the drawing room for Tuesday night’s lottery:

Before the fourth and final lottery ball was drawn for the No. 1 pick, the Wizards had six of the 11 available combinations, according to Lowe and other reporters who attended the drawing. The Magic, Pacers, and Trail Blazers were also still alive for the top pick at that point, but it was the Spurs who lucked out and held the winning combination: 14-5-8-2.
Rival executives are expecting Portland to re-sign Jerami Grant this offseason, according to Lowe, who says he believes the Trail Blazers will also look into renegotiating the protections on the lottery-protected first-round pick they owe to the Bulls. Removing or reducing the protections on that pick would give the Blazers more flexibility to trade future first-rounders.
The Clippers love having Tyronn Lue as their head coach and are “happy to remind” teams with interest in Lue that he remains under contract, Lowe reports. The Suns are said to have legitimate interest in hiring Lue away from their division rivals, but it sounds like Los Angeles would make that very difficult. As Lowe notes, it’s still unclear whether or not that’s even something Lue would want.
Executives in Chicago are “buzzing” about what the future holds for the Warriors and Sixers. Based on his conversations, Lowe says there’s a strong level of interest in Golden State forward Jonathan Kuminga around the NBA. Lowe adds that, while the Rockets and James Harden have mutual interest in a reunion, league sources made it clear that Harden’s return to Houston is no lock after the dismissal of Doc Rivers in Philadelphia.

Pistons Notes: Coaching Search, Free Agency, Cunningham

May 9th, 2023 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

First named as the frontrunners for the Pistons‘ head coaching job back on April 21, former UConn and Overtime Elite head coach Kevin Ollie, Bucks assistant Charles Lee, and Pelicans assistant Jarron Collins are still considered the finalists for the position, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

A previous report indicated that the top candidates for the Pistons’ coaching vacancy would meet with the organization’s top decision-makers, including owner Tom Gores. Charania confirms that those meetings are happening this week and that they’ll involve Ollie, Lee, and Collins.

Interviews with ownership typically represent the final stage of a head coaching search, so barring a new candidate entering the mix at the 11th hour, it seems possible that the Pistons could make a decision by the end of the week.

Here’s more out of Detroit:

James L. Edwards III of The Athletic identifies 10 free agents who make sense as potential targets for the Pistons this summer, starting with former Detroit forward Jerami Grant. Edwards’ list includes noteworthy restricted free agents like Cameron Johnson and Austin Reaves as well as less heralded unrestricted free agents such as Torrey Craig and Yuta Watanabe.
Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required) believes the time is right for Pistons general manager Troy Weaver to pursue an established veteran in free agency to supplement the team’s young core. Johnson and Khris Middleton are among Windsor’s suggestions.
Keith Langlois of Pistons.com looks ahead and considers what to expect from former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham in 2023/24 following a lost season. As Langlois details, Cunningham has tried to make the most of his injury absence, using his time off to bulk up and to work on his three-point shot.
In case you missed it, we published our Pistons offseason preview last week.

Central Notes: Hayes, Grant, Antetokounmpo, Bucks Series

April 23rd, 2023 at 6:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

While Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey appear to be the Pistons’ backcourt starters for at least the next few seasons, there are legitimate questions about the future of another backcourt lottery pick — Killian Hayes. Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press (subscription required) tackles that subject and anticipates the Pistons won’t extend Hayes this offseason. Instead, they’ll allow Hayes to enter next offseason as a restricted free agent, giving him extra motivation to have a strong fourth season and increase his market value.

We have more from the Central Division:

The Pistons must address wing defense and shooting in free agency this offseason, Sankofa opines (subscription required). Bringing back unrestricted free agent Jerami Grant for a second stint with the organization would fit the bill, or they could make a run at restricted free agents Cameron Johnson and Grant Williams, Sankofa writes.
Giannis Antetokounmpo did some individual work before the Bucks’ film session on Sunday, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets. However, coach Mike Budenholzer did not have an immediate update on his superstar’s status for Monday’s Game 4 against the Heat. Antetokounmpo was later listed as questionable, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. The top-seeded Bucks are down 2-1 in the series.
In a related topic, Nehm details how the Bucks struggled offensively without Antetokounmpo in Game 3. Whether or not he returns from his back injury and plays in Game 4, Milwaukee will have to do a much better job matching Miami’s physicality.

Pistons Notes: Burks, Livers, Coaching Search, Diallo, Offseason

April 20th, 2023 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons are likely to exercise their team options on Alec Burks and Isaiah Livers for next season, but the decision on Eugene Omoruyi appears to be less clear, writes Mike Curtis of The Detroit News (subscription required).

Burks, who will make $10.5MM if Detroit decides to keep him, was a valuable member of the team’s reserve unit because of his ability to create shots for himself and his teammates, Curtis notes. There was speculation that Burks might be moved at the trade deadline, but Curtis believes the front office sees him as a valuable component for a team that hopes to contend for a play-in spot next season.

Livers seems like a safe investment at his $1.8MM price tag for next season. Although injuries have slowed his progress, Curtis notes that he has responded to the nightly challenge of guarding the opposing team’s best player. He has also improved his mid-range game and shows promise of developing into a reliable scorer.

Omoruyi joined the Pistons in February on a pair of 10-day contracts and landed a deal that included a non-guaranteed $1.9MM salary for 2023/24. If his option is picked up, he’ll likely be part of Detroit’s Summer League team.

There’s more on the Pistons:

General manager Troy Weaver appears to be open to hiring an unproven head coach, observes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). Pistons assistant coaches Rex Kalamian and Jerome Allen are both candidates for the job, and other names mentioned include Bucks assistant Charles Lee, Heat assistant Chris Quinn, Nets assistant Brian Keefe, Pelicans assistant Jarrod Collins and Bulls assistant Josh Longstaff. Sankofa notes that the first-time coach strategy has paid off recently for teams such as the Grizzlies, Thunder, Jazz and Pelicans.
The Pistons could have up to $30MM in cap space this summer, but there’s a chance they may lose some of their own free agents while they concentrate on the bigger names on the market, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com states in a mailbag column. One possibility is Hamidou Diallo, who Langlois said may appeal to a team with limited resources to offer.
James L. Edwards of The Athletic examines what a perfect offseason would look like for Detroit. It starts, of course, by winning the draft lottery and drafting Victor Wembanyama, and may include bringing back Jerami Grant in free agency and trading Bojan Bogdanovic.

Northwest Notes: Gobert, McDaniels, Grant, Giddey

April 10th, 2023 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

The Timberwolves haven’t determined if Rudy Gobert will accompany the team for Tuesday’s play-in game against the Lakers, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Gobert was sent home during Sunday’s contest after a fight on the bench with teammate Kyle Anderson that reignited at halftime. Head coach Chris Finch told reporters that he will talk with president of basketball operations Tim Connelly before making a final decision on Gobert’s status.

Krawczynski sheds a little more light on the incident, revealing that Gobert was experiencing back spasms Sunday and Anderson pushed him to play because the Wolves needed a win to avoid falling into the 9-10 play-in matchup. Gobert started the game, but his movement was limited by the back condition. During a timeout, Anderson snapped at him to improve his defense and Gobert responded with a punch that hit Anderson in the left shoulder before they were quickly separated.

Gobert was escorted to the locker room with 4:37 left in the first half, but he and Anderson confronted each other again during halftime. Connelly and assistant GM Dell Demps had to calm down the situation and made the decision to have Gobert leave the arena.

Gobert issued a public apology on Twitter Sunday night, admitting that “emotions got the best of me today.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

Jaden McDaniels‘ broken right hand was a result of frustration after being whistled for two early fouls on Sunday, Krawczynski adds. McDaniels walked down the tunnel to try to calm down and wound up punching a wall, leaving the Timberwolves to prepare for the Lakers without their best perimeter defender. “Certainly immaturity has been one of our issues all season,” Finch said.
Jerami Grant is pondering a four-year, $112MM extension offer from the Trail Blazers, but even if he opts for free agency it sounds like there’s a good chance he’ll stay in Portland, according to Jason Quick of The Athletic. “I definitely like it here,” Grant said. “I’m looking forward to the talks and trying to figure something out. I definitely feel comfortable here.”
With a play-in spot already wrapped up, the Thunder had the luxury of resting their rotation players on Sunday, per Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. There’s plenty of optimism in Oklahoma City after a top-10 finish in what was supposed to be a rebuilding season. “From where we were last year to this year, it speaks volumes to what we’ve been able to do and how much we’ve been able to improve,” Josh Giddey said. “As long as we stay on this right path, I think this team and this organization is gonna be in good hands for a long time.”

Northwest Notes: Grant, Reddish, Markkanen, Williams

April 2nd, 2023 at 8:32pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Trail Blazers may try to re-sign Jerami Grant regardless of whether they pursue a teardown, considering they gave up a future first-round pick for him, Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype opines.

However, they’ll have competition. Cap space teams like the Rockets and Pacers could be in the market for a versatile veteran forward like Grant, Gozlan writes. The Thunder could also look to add a veteran presence to their improving team and a reunion with the Pistons, who traded Grant to the Blazers last summer, isn’t out of the question.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Forward Cam Reddish missed the Trail Blazers‘ game against Minnesota on Sunday due to lumbar soreness, the team tweets. Reddish, a restricted free agent after the season, has missed three consecutive games.
Forward Lauri Markkanen returned to the Jazz lineup on Sunday after missing the two previous games with a bruised left hand, Eric Walden of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets. Markkanen had 23 points and nine rebounds in a one-point loss to Brooklyn.
Jalen Williams has averaged 19.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.7 steals since the All-Star break. Barry Tramel of The Oklahoman (subscription required) takes a closer look at the Thunder lottery pick, noting that Williams has star potential. “I don’t know how good he’ll be. But I think it’s pretty safe to look at the fact that his floor’s going to be pretty high, because he’s big, he plays great defense, he’s got a great feel for the game,” coach Mark Daigneault said.

Injury Updates: Raptors, Bucks, Blazers, Nuggets

February 23rd, 2023 at 6:54pm CST by Rory Maher

OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr. and Thaddeus Young were all full practice participants on Tuesday evening and head coach Nick Nurse said they looked “good, healthy and ready to go,” on Thursday against New Orleans, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. All three players will indeed play tonight, Lewenberg confirmed on Thursday (via Twitter).

Barring Otto Porter, who is out for the season after foot surgery, the rest of Toronto’s injury report was clean until Fred VanVleet was downgraded to out shortly before tip-off due to personal reasons, per Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link).

Of the group who are set to return, Anunoby had missed the most time — he’s been out the past nine games with a wrist injury he suffered nearly a month ago.

Here are more injury updates from around the NBA:

Jae Crowder is set to make his season debut for the Bucks on Friday against Miami, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Crowder, who sat out the entire ’22/23 season while awaiting a trade from Phoenix, was working out with Bobby Portis and Joe Ingles in Miami during the All-Star break, per Nehm. Portis has been out for a month with a sprained knee, but he was able to practice before the break and will return to action on Friday. According to Nehm, head coach Mike Budenholzer was optimistic about Khris Middleton returning Friday as well. The three-time All-Star has been dealing with right knee soreness lately, missing the final game before the break. All three players are list as available on the latest injury report, Nehm tweets.
However, things aren’t so positive for Giannis Antetokounmpo (wrist sprain) and Pat Connaughton (left calf soreness), who are both doubtful for Friday’s game, Nehm adds. Giannis is day-to-day, while Connaughton was only a partial practice participant Thursday for the Bucks.
Damian Lillard and Jerami Grant are both out for Thursday’s matchup in Sacramento due to rest, the Trail Blazers announced (via Twitter). As Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report explains (via Twitter), the Blazers’ flight out of Portland was delayed for several hours on Wednesday due to a snow storm and finally departed late Thursday afternoon.
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray returned to action on Thursday in Cleveland after dealing with knee soreness leading into the break, tweets Chris Dempsey of Altitude Sports Radio. Murray had missed the previous six games. Unfortunately, Aaron Gordon remains sidelined with a rib injury, per Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link). Head coach Michael Malone said Gordon’s rib issue is “not where I would wish it would be,” according to Singer, who hears from a source (via Twitter) that the rib isn’t fractured, but it’s still limiting Gordon’s effectiveness.