Jerami Grant's uncle believes the Memphis Grizzlies will be respectable as a young team.
The Memphis Grizzlies have made some major changes this offseason, headlined by their pivot to a new franchise cornerstone.
The organization drafted prized rookie Cameron Boozer at No. 3 overall and traded away star guard Ja Morant, marking the beginning of a new era.
As part of the Morant trade, Memphis acquired journeyman forward Jerami Grant, and the 32-year-old should bring a nice veteran presence to a young Grizzlies team. Grant is the nephew of four-time NBA champion Horace Grant, who thinks that Memphis has a "nice little team."
“Yeah, (he’s excited),” Horace Grant said of his nephew, via Action Network. “They picked up Boozer. They’ve got Scotty Pippen Jr. there coming off injury. I think he’s going to be solid for them. They’ve got a nice little team.”
The Chicago Bulls icon continued.
“My nephew’s been around the league for many years, so he knows the growing pains are going to be there,” he said. “With his veteran leadership and with Boozer, I think they’ll be respectable as a young team.”
Although Jerami Grant doesn't exactly fit the Grizzlies' winning timeline, the word is that they have "no plans" to trade him this year. Given his 12 years of NBA experience and stops with a handful of organizations, he is used to navigating challenges in the league, and that knowledge could help a rebuilding team in Memphis.
He could also bring some solid production to the table for the Grizzlies. Last season, he averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 45.3 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from beyond the arc. He has had three seasons in his NBA career in which he's averaged 20+ points per game, including as recently as the 2023-24 campaign.
The former second-round pick will make about $34 million this coming season and then has a player option worth about $36 million for the following season. If he exercises that option, perhaps he will emerge as a trade candidate next summer, but for now, it seems like Memphis sees him as part of its immediate future.
The Grizzlies have missed the playoffs twice in the last three seasons. Anything close to a postseason or play-in bid would be a major success for the team this season as it navigates its rebuild. According to veteran guard Ty Jerome, Memphis is indeed eyeing a playoff appearance, but a lot will have to go right for that to become a reality.
For what it's worth, Jerami Grant does have a fair amount of playoff experience (40 games), so if Memphis does find itself in the mix, that's another area where his leadership would come in handy.
There are indeed likely to be some growing pains this coming season for the squad, but there are also plenty of reasons to be excited as Boozer and other new faces turn the page on a new chapter for the franchise.
