Quentin Grimes’ restricted free agency has gone relatively under-the-radar, compared to the noisier such runs of the still-unsigned Josh Giddey of the Chicago Bulls and Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors. Embattled Brooklyn Nets restricted free agent shooting guard Cam Thomas also apparently remains far apart with his current team about his on-court value.
But Grimes, who only recently landed in Philadelphia thanks to a midseason trade, has been the subject of major uncertainty. He thrived with the 76ers when he arrived, yes, but the team was also severely depleted all over the floor, meaning someone had to score.
The Dallas Mavericks, compounding their very bizarre February (they also traded 26-year-old Luka Doncic for 32-year-old Anthony Davis), flipped a 2025 second-rounder and Grimes to Philadelphia midseason. Grimes almost instantly made Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison look like a fool by giving up future draft capital to essentially just acquire Caleb Martin, a 3-and-D forward who’s already off the team’s roster.
How Good is Quentin Grimes, Really?
In 28 bouts for the 76ers while the team was winding down its season and focusing on a full-fledged tank, as were many of its competitors.
Dan Favale of Bleacher Report predicts that Grimes will remain with Philadelphia on a four-season, $67 million new deal. Favale also levvies a soft burn into assessing the Sixers’ lackluster front office, which has failed to equip aging former MVP center Joel Embiid with the proper intriguing young health.
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“The Sixers don’t have the durable infrastructure to mismanage a breakout asset. Grimes, 25, clearly doesn’t have any suitors to leverage against them, and accepting the qualifying offer poses all sorts of risks,” Favale writes. “Chief among them: Seeing his role severely compromised by a healthier depth chart this coming season that torpedoes his market value next summer.”
Grimes’ elite shooting and scoring numbers may have just been dumb luck to clear through these posts. This season could prove to be a make-or-break moment for the 6-foot-4 guard.
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