Jerami Grant Expects To Be Back In Portland Next Season

Unrestricted free agent Jerami Grant expects to be back with the Portland Trail Blazers next season.

When asked about his basketball future at today’s exit interviews, Grant opted to overlook the standard “I’ll go through the process and see what happens.”

Instead, he confirmed Damian Lillard’s earlier comments that he expected to be back, according to the Rose Garden Report’s Sean Highkin.

Jerami Grant says the same thing Damian Lillard said about his free agency this summer: he expects to be back. — Highkin

Grant says he’s grown close to teammates and staffers in Portland, which weighs in heavily with his free agency decision. “It’s a family setting.” — Highkin

He also spoke positively on Coach Chauncey Billups, acknowledging that despite some mistakes, the players want to play for him.

Jerami Grant: “I love Chauncey. I think he’s a great coach. He’s still learning, he’s still figuring things out, but we want to play for him. As a coach, people overlook that aspect of things. Having someone you want to go war with every night is huge.” — Highkin

The Blazers dealt for Grant last June, giving up a future Milwaukee Bucks first-round pick that Portland received in the CJ McCollum trade with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Grant averaged 20.5 points on 40 percent three point shooting, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks.