Quentin Grimes may not know much about his long-term future, especially after picking up the one-year qualifying offer over the offseason, but he should be playing well enough to know there’ll be interest next summer.
The upcoming unrestricted free agent is playing a big role for the Philadelphia 76ers this season, which should lead to a decently-sized contract offer next July.
Major bench presence
Grimes, who is averaging 16.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, is playing nearly 32 minutes per game, almost exclusively off the bench, having started just twice this season.
Due to the evolution of Tyrese Maxey, and the play of rookie guard V.J. Edgecombe, Grimes isn’t seeing the same amount of touches as he did in the second half of the season in 2024-2025, but that hasn’t hurt his efficiency (TS% of 60.9), nor his ability to create shots off the bounce.
Grimes, who for years was viewed as a spot-up shooter, showed an uncanny ability to handle the ball after arriving on Philadelphia before last trade deadline, via Dallas.
He posted several games of 40-plus points, and would initiate plays off the dribble, creating looks for both himself, and teammates.
Many of those responsibilities have fallen to Maxey, now that he’s healthy, but that doesn’t mean teams aren’t now aware of what Grimes can do, in a potentially expanded role.
What about next summer?
As Grimes will head into free agency, without Philadelphia haven’t the right of first refusal, it’ll be interesting to see how the market reacts to his availability.
Is he viewed as a starting shooting guard around the league? That remains to be seen, even if his numbers, efficiency, and capabilities certainly indicate he’d be worth such a role.
Or, will he find himself on the outside looking in, as teams prioritize going after larger wings, who can play multiple positions?
Time will tell, but Grimes’ future will be a big indicator of what the NBA largely thinks of scoring off-guards, who aren’t necessarily stars.
It’s not a coincidence that both Grimes, and Cam Thomas of the Nets, took the qualifying offer. The market wasn’t there for either, and given that both are between 6’4 and 6’5, and are mostly offensive-minded players, it’ll be something to track, to see if that’s changed.
Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
