Trail Blazers' Jerami Grant: Balls out in bench role

Grant had 29 points (10-14 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 5-6 FT), three rebounds, one assist and one block across 28 minutes during Wednesday's 118-114 loss to the Timberwolves.

Although Grant's advanced age doesn't fit well with Portland's youth-based rebuild blueprint, it will be hard to keep him on the bench if he sustains this kind of production. Grant's season-ending knee injury allowed Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara to assume starting roles in the offense, so the veteran will begin the season as the odd man out. Wednesday's result made a strong case for getting him back in the mix.