The Portland Trail Blazers’ rebuilding effort will be boosted during Wednesday’s NBA draft when they select players with the No. 7 and No. 14 picks in the first round.

Could the Blazers also make a move involving Jerami Grant, 30, that could boost their draft capital? Maybe.

Trade rumors ahead of the draft link Grant to the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks.

However, an NBA source has told The Oregonian/OregonLive that trade chatter involving Grant is just that: chatter. At least for now.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported Monday that Grant “is believed to be another potential addition on the Lakers’ wishlist, according to league sources.”

Grant is a client of Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, who represents Lakers star LeBron James. For whatever that is worth.

The Lakers own the No. 17 pick in Wednesday’s draft.

SNY’s Ian Begley reported that the Mavericks “have checked in on” Grant.

The Mavericks do not have a first-round pick this year. But the Blazers would certainly covet a first-round pick in the 2025 draft, which is expected to have a far deeper pool of talent than this year’s draft.

The Blazers eventually trading Grant appears inevitable. They signed him to a five-year, $162 million contract last offseason, believing Damian Lillard would remain with the team. After Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, the clock on Grant’s time in Portland began ticking.

He does not fit the Blazers’ rebuilding timeline, which, for now, revolves around 20-year-old guards Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe.

Moving Grant sooner rather than later makes the most sense for the Blazers.

-- Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)