NBA Trade Rumors: 1 Big obstacle standing in the way of a Jerami Grant to Lakers deal

NBA Trade Rumors: There's one big obstacle that could be standing in the way of a Jerami Grant to the Los Angeles Lakers trade.

Roughly three weeks into the most active period of the NBA offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers haven't made many improvements to their roster - aside from drafting Dalton Knecht and Bronny James with their two picks in the 2024 NBA Draft. Aside from those two moves, the Lakers have been relatively quiet. They didn't make any notable moves in free agency and have left much to be desired in terms of their aggression on the trade market.

However, as we inch closer and closer to the start of the 2024-25 NBA season, which is still a few months away, you'd have to imagine that approach is going to change at some point for the Lakers. Especially considering how much of a step back this team took this past season, fresh off an appearance in the Western Conference Finals.

If the Lakers are going to reemerge as a championship contender in the Western Conference this upcoming season, they're going to have to make upgrades to their roster. For as good as LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been for the Lakers, it's unfair and unrealistic to expect them to successfully carry the Lakers through the Western Conference gauntlet at this point in their careers.

But if the Lakers are able to land another All-Star caliber talent, that could certainly change their outlook heading into the new season. Recent reports have linked the Lakers to Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant.

Why the Los Angeles Lakers have been unable to land Jerami Grant via trade

Although, there's one reported big obstacle standing in the way of the Lakers and Blazers agreeing to a deal. According to recent reports, the Blazers want two first-round picks in exchange for Grant. At least for now, that's not a price the Lakers are willing to meet.

It'll be interesting to see if either side moves off their stance over the next few weeks or a couple of months. On the one hand, the Lakers almost have to make some sort of upgrade to their roster this summer and Grant would theoretically be a good move. Similarly, it would probably be in the best interest of the Blazers to trade Grant at some point soon.

This could be one of those scenarios in which we have to wait to see which side blinks first if one does at all. The Lakers could always move on from their interest in Grant while the Blazers could simply carry Grant on their roster heading into the start of the season.

Either way, it's still an interesting storyline to keep an eye on heading into the next phase of the NBA offseason, one that will likely be driven by the trade market.