Horace Grant shares hopes for nephew on Memphis Grizzlies

Action Network's Kyle Odegard talked with four-time NBA champion Horace Grant, and Grant discussed the trade of his nephew, Jerami Grant, to the Memphis Grizzlies.

“Yeah, (he’s excited). They picked up (No. 3 overall pick Cam) 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," Horace Grant said.

Cameron Boozer 23 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 7/12 FG, 1/1 3FG, 5/5 FT, 81% TS vs. Bulls pic.twitter.com/VVsDpZ6RAl
— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) July 11, 2026

Jerami Grant was a part of the trade that sent Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers. Memphis received Jerami Grant and Kris Murray in return for the former All-NBA point guard.

Jerami Grant spent four seasons in Portland, averaging 18+ points per game in three of those seasons. He averaged 20+ points per game in 2022-23 and 2023-24.

The 32-year-old projects to play heavy minutes for the Grizzlies in year one of a rebuild. He also fills the role of a quality veteran to have in the locker room, similar to Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill, who were on the team in 2019-20.

Despite this season being viewed as a rebuilding year, there is optimism about Memphis from both the media and Horace Grant.

“My nephew’s been around the league for many years, so he knows the growing pains are going to be there. With his veteran leadership and with Boozer, I think they’ll be respectable as a young team," Horace Grant said.

Jerami Grant joins a group of wings that includes Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Karim Lopez, Kris Murray and Jahmai Mashack. Jerami Grant's veteran presence could be key for a position group full of promising young players,

Excited for year 2 Cedric Coward...

7'2.5 Wingspan, efficient rim finisher, pretty shooting form that is liable to produce a leap in accuracy next year. positional rebounder. Weak side rim pro. Imagining Coward x Boozer x Edey frontcourt and going numb.pic.twitter.com/oAzfRrLkGz
— Basketball University (@UofBasketball) June 20, 2026

The battle for a starting spot between Jerami Grant, Wells and potentially Jackson will be something to keep an eye on. Wells has plenty of starting experience, as does Jerami Grant, and Wells has always felt like a player who would be better off the bench than locking in as a starting wing.

Another factor for Jerami Grant is his contract. He is entering the fourth year of a five-year, $160 million contract he signed prior to the 2023-24 season with Portland. Jerami Grant is set to make approximately $34 million in 2026-27. The final season of the contract is a player option worth about $36 million that he will most likely opt into before the 2027-28 season.

Bringing a player, who could be one of the two or three leading scorers on the team, off the bench at that price tag might not be something Memphis is in the business of doing.

Veterans are essential for rebuilding teams. While oftentimes their on-court value is not as high as what they bring to the locker room, the wisdom is worth it in its own right. For Jerami Grant, he still has plenty of juice left in the tank as a scorer to go with his experience.

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