The Portland Trail Blazers have added Jerami Grant without losing the No.7 pick in tonight’s draft, and it’s almost certain they will use to acquire another win now piece. According to Chris Haynes, Portland is also “in pursuit of Toronto’s forward OG Anunoby”.
Anunoby is someone who would make an impact on both ends of the floor with the versatility to defend multiple positions and take some of the pressure off Lillard. Anunoby was part of the Raptors’ team that won the 2019 NBA championship.
He averaged a career-best 17.1 points to go with 5.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game last season. Anunoby is a “3-&-D” prototype shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc throughout his career.
The Raptors made it clear they want to keep the dynamic forward, but Jake Fischer reported there are some rumblings about his role in the team’s offense, despite coming off his best year of his career.
“Obviously, it doesn’t make sense to get into all the trade speculation, right? I think if we talked about every call we got or trade that was discussed we’d be here for hours,” GM Bobby Webster said on Anunoby rumors. “I don’t think it’s all that noteworthy.”
After finishing last season with a disappointing 27-55, the Blazers need to retool their roster around Damian Lillard. Acquiring Jerami Grant certainly is the first step towards this direction.
Spurs’ Dejounte Murray to Atlanta?
San Antonio Spurs are fielding offers for Dejounte Murray ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report reports. The most significant offer they received for Murray seems to be from the Atlanta Hawks, who are offering a package around John Collins, per Fischer.
The Spurs are fielding offers for Murray and have told multiple interested teams it would take a “Jrue Holiday-like package” for San Antonio to part with the 25-year-old guard setting a price that will include three first-round picks, Fischer writes. Murray is coming off his best year of his career.
He averaged 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.2 assists per game flirting with triple-double averages and getting his first All-Star nod of his career. For now, considering the high price set by San Antonio, moving Murray seems to be unlikely.
Pistons to pursue DeAndre Ayton in free agency
The Pistons are expected to “heavily” pursue Phoenix Suns big man Deandre Ayton, who is set to become a restricted free agent this summer, according to The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III.
The Suns are not expected to offer a max deal to Ayton and the center might elect to leave Arizona with three teams having the cap space to sign him without involving in trade talks with Phoenix.
Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft, wanted the Suns to give him a five-year maximum contract, which would have been worth $172.5 million guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst.
