Rumors and potential trade packages for former Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant swirled for months as his future with the team became uncertain.
In the end, theGrizzlies acquired Jerami Grant and Kris Murray on June 29 in exchange for the two-time All-Star.
Murray is a young player who is still finding his way in the league. Grant was the clear prize in the deal.
Grant will come to Memphis with 12 years of NBA experience. He has played on playoff teams and been in situations similar to the rebuild he will enter in Memphis.
The 32-year-old is currently the second-oldest player on the roster. By the start of the season, he may be the oldest.
Grant spent the last four seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, averaging 18.8 points in 221 appearances.
Memphis could use that scoring punch, so it will be interesting to see if Grant can become a consistent source of offense for the youthful Grizzlies.
Grant has two years remaining on his current contract. Sean Highkin, whocovered Grant during his four-year stint in Portland,believes the forward should have little trouble adjusting to Memphis.
“He’s a guy who has a wide variety of different interests,” Highkin told The Commercial Appeal. “He’s the kind of guy that no matter where he is, he’s going to find something to get into.”
Position to play?
The first question surrounding Grant is where he will play.
He spent most of his time at power forward with the Blazers, but he entered the league playing more at small forward.
The Grizzlies’ roster doesn’t have a perfect solution. Cam Boozer is expected to occupy the power forward spot for the foreseeable future, while Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson, Karim Lopez and Cedric Coward are among the talented wings competing for two starting spots.
Considering Boozer should be on the floor often, small forward could provide Grant with a clearer path to playing time. Highkin questions whether that is actually a realistic option.
“I think he’s pretty firmly a four at this point," Highkin said. "As guys get older, they trend up a position. That’s usually how this stuff goes. If you want to play some bigger lineups, you could play him at the three, but I think the four is his natural position.”
Why limited games?
One look at Grant’s games played in Portland shows a player who missed a significant amount of time.
Grant played between 47 and 63 games in each of his four seasons with the Blazers. He hasn’t topped 70 games since the 2019-20 season.
Highkin pointed to Portland’s developmental situation as one factor behind those numbers. After playing 56 games through February in the 2022-23 season, Grant suited up for just seven more games. That trend continued when he played four games in March 2024 and two games in March 2025.
The Blazers were more competitive in 2026, when Grant played 12 games in March — nearly as many as his previous three seasons combined.
Grant has dealt with smaller injuries in recent seasons, but he may not be as injury-prone as his game totals suggest.
“I don’t think any of that is anything to be worried about long term,” Highkin said. “I think a lot of that was more about them having certain goals for the season and playing the younger guys would help accomplish those goals.”
Three-point shooting?
Grant wasn’t known as a 3-point shooter early in his career, but his numbers improved as he got older.
He shot 39% from 3-point range during his four seasons with the Blazers and is a 36.7% 3-point shooter for his career.
Memphis could always use more 3-point shooting, and Grant’s ability to space the floor could impact potential lineup combinations.
The Grizzlies will be hoping to get the Portland version of Grant as a shooter, something Highkin believes is possible.
“He’s become a very good 3-point shooter over the last few years,” Highkin said. “The shot is something that he has put a lot of work into. That’s something he’s definitely going to be able to bring.”
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Breaking down Jerami Grant's fit with new-look Memphis Grizzlies
