Reported expectations for Trail Blazers could cause Kings trouble

Before it became clear that Pascal Siakam did not want to stay in Sacramento long-term, the Kings were interested in trading for the two-time All-Star. Now, he is a member of the Indiana Pacers, and the Kings still need a big forward who can shoot and defend. 

Jerami Grant and Kyle Kuzma are two possible options to fill that need now that Siakam is off the table. The former might be a better fit regarding the need for a third or fourth offensive option. Kuzma is bigger and a better rebounder but might not want to play for a team on which his offensive touches are not a priority. 

Grant still checks plenty of boxes for the Kings. He can defend forwards, which they desperately need to improve their defense. Offensively, he shoots over 40 percent on 5.6 three-point attempts per game. 

Nowadays, every NBA team needs as much shooting as possible, so that is always a plus, especially next to a non-shooting center. Domantas Sabonis hits threes every now and then but he is much more comfortable around the basket and it is tough to have another non-shooter next to him. 

So, Grant would be a solid fit next to Sabonis and Keegan Murray in the front court. One problem is that he is on a giant contract, but if he helps the Kings take the next step, it would be worth taking on. 

Portland reportedly not expected to take calls about Grant

Lately, another roadblock has surfaced. Grant would be a great alternative for several teams that struck out on Siakam, but Yahoo Sports’ Senior NBA reporter Jake Fischer reported bad news for all those teams, including the Kings.

”Portland is not expected to seriously entertain offers for Grant, league sources told Yahoo Sports,” he wrote in one of his latest trade intel pieces. 

The Trail Blazers are rebuilding and set to get another lottery pick this year. Between Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Anfernee Simons, and Deandre Ayton they already have plenty of young talent and don’t seem to be in a rush to part ways with their veteran forward. 

For the Kings, this means that options to upgrade their starting lineup with a defensive-minded forward are dwindling. If Grant is really not available, there are still other options. Kuzma and Dorian Finney-Smith, for example, would make sense, but neither has officially been made available on the trade market yet.