It’s no secret the Philadelphia 76ers want to bring back guard Quentin Grimes, but he may be out of their price range.
Grimes became the team’s primary scoring option late in the season while Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey were sidelined with injuries. In 28 games (25 starts), he averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting 46.9% from the field and 37.3% from three. The 76ers acquired Grimes and the 35th pick in the draft — who turned out to be Auburn center Johni Broome — from the Dallas Mavericks for Caleb Martin in what proved to be a steal at the trade deadline.
Grimes is a restricted free agent after the 76ers tendered him an $8.7 million qualifying offer and can match any deal he receives on the open market. The team also owns his Bird rights, allowing them to offer a 120% raise above his $4.29 million salary from last season, which equals $9.45 million.
However, Grimes wants much more, according to The Athletic NBA insider Tony Jones.
“The Sixers have been in contact with Grimes and his camp, although the price may end up being steep. Grimes is looking for a contract that averages $25 million per season, league sources tell The Athletic,” Jones reports. “He has emerged as a dynamic scoring guard, and he gives the Sixers a mix of the ability to shoot from the perimeter and get to the basket and put pressure on the rim off the dribble. Last season, Philadelphia had too little of both skill sets on its roster.”
The 76ers are guard-heavy with Maxey, Jared McCain and No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe, but Grimes can also play small forward if head coach Nick Nurse wants three guards on the court.
The 25th pick of the 2021 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks, Grimes has played for four teams — the Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Mavericks and 76ers. Over four seasons, he has averaged 10.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and two assists while shooting 44.4% from the field and 37.5% from three.
Matt Higgins worked in national and local news for 15 years. He started out as an overnight production assistant ... More about Matt Higgins