Panathinaikos Likely to Release Guard Jerian Grant Amid Backcourt Reinforcements

Jerian Grant is reportedly set to leave Panathinaikos as the Greek basketball club seeks to strengthen its backcourt. Following initial reports from Israel's Sport 5 about Hapoel Tel Aviv negotiating for Grant's services and willing to compensate Panathinaikos, Greek media have now discussed the situation. On the Fast Break podcast hosted by journalist Tolis Kotsias, it was revealed that Panathinaikos aims to add one or two significant guards, which would reduce Grant's playing time to under ten minutes per game. The podcast suggested that if two new guards join, it would be surprising if no current backcourt player departs, with Grant being the most likely candidate to leave.

Besides Hapoel Tel Aviv, a Dubai-based team has also explored the possibility of acquiring Grant, although no formal offer has been made yet. It was also noted that Grant changed his agent last summer, which might influence his next move. The podcast concluded that if a team expresses interest, Grant might be inclined to accept a transfer.

Grant has maintained a relatively stable role under former coach Argin Ataman, who left Panathinaikos last summer. However, his performance this season has declined compared to previous years, averaging 6.9 points, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per EuroLeague game, down from 8.6 points and 3.5 assists in his first season. Panathinaikos, now coached by Željko Obradović, recently signed Branko Lazić to bolster their backcourt alongside Kendrick Nunn and Kostas Sloukas, making Grant's departure more likely.