Blue Man Hoop
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7 players Warriors might replace Andrew Wiggins with by trade deadline

By Josh Cornelissen

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 13: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a call behind Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half in a preseason game at Crypto.com Arena on October 13, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 13: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a call behind Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half in a preseason game at Crypto.com Arena on October 13, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. /
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Golden State Warriors
Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers. Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images /

7. Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers agreed to a lucrative new five-year contract in the opening hours of free agency, only for Damian Lillard to request a trade less than 24 hours later. The team has said all of the right things about valuing Grant and wanting to keep him around to mentor their young players, but given his contract and age (29 years old) he is a prime candidate to be dealt later this season when he becomes trade-eligible.

For a Warriors team lacking size, Grant can come in and inject their rotation with plenty of it. Listed at 6’8″, Grant is both long and strong and can reliably play power forward. He and Draymond Green together would be a formidable defensive pairing, able to switch at will and rotate down as weakside shot-blockers.

On offense, Grant has developed his scoring bag to become a reliable second or ideally third option. Last season he shot 40.1 percent from 3-point range on solid volume, and his strong free-throw shooting indicates the reliability of that shot over being a one-time fluke. He’s not Green as a passer, but Grant can handle and move the ball.

Grant’s new deal is worth $160 million over five seasons ($32 million per year on average), so this would be a major investment. At the same time, Grant is the kind of two-way player that allows the Warriors to build different kinds of lineups around, and head coach Steve Kerr has always loved his versatile big wings and forwards. There would be some salary-matching needed and the two sides may not easily agree on Grant’s value, but he is a player who would both help the Warriors and will likely be available.

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