Many of the Philadelphia 76ers’ key contributors are locked up beyond the current campaign.
Joel Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe all have multiple years remaining on their current contracts, so the Sixers don’t have to worry about losing any of them over the offseason. However, the same can’t be said about Quentin Grimes.
Grimes will be headed for unrestricted free agency after signing just a one-year qualifying offer with the Sixers last offseason, and it remains to be seen if the Sixers will be willing or able to bring him back.
76ers Predicted to Lose Quentin Grimes in Free Agency
GettyQuentin Grimes of the Philadelphia 76ers
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report thinks that Grimes’ days in Philadelphia are numbered, as he included Grimes on his list of free agents most likely to change teams over the offseason.
Pincus pointed to Philadelphia’s lack of salary cap space combined with Grimes’ likely desire to maximize his market as main reasons why he probably won’t continue his career in a Sixers uniform.
“The Sixers were reluctant to give Grimes the long-term deal he sought last offseason as a restricted free agent, leading to his one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer for 2025-26. Soon to be unrestricted, Grimes will hunt out a payday,” Pincus wrote.
“The primary issue for the Sixers is a bloated payroll built around expensive veterans like Joel Embiid and Paul George. Tyrese Maxey will earn $40.8 million next year, and current rookie VJ Edgecombe has been a steady contributor. … Putting it all together, Philadelphia doesn’t seem like a franchise willing to go into the luxury tax for Grimes.”
It’s difficult to disagree with Pincus here. Grimes wanted a major payday from the Sixers last summer and he didn’t get it, so he’s not likely to show Philadelphia any kind of loyalty or take any kind of discount to keep the band together.
Inconsistency Has Plagued Grimes This Season In Philadelphia
There will be other teams out there that will be willing offer Grimes a larger payday than the Sixers, and after playing on a relatively cheap deal this season, he’s likely to follow the money.
Grimes has had a bit of an up-and-down season for Philadelphia. He’s had some big games, but he’s also had some disappearing acts. His role has fluctuated a bit depending on the availability of the guys around him, but when he’s at his best, Grimes sees himself as an aggressive two-way player.
“Be in attack mode. Be a good on-ball defender. Make plays for myself and teammates,” Grimes said of his role recently. “The whole year has asked for me to do different things. But I feel like, when the whole team’s healthy, my natural self is still playing my same game I’ve been playing the whole year.”
In an ideal world, the Sixers would probably want to keep Grimes around as a high-end role player capable of impacting the game on both ends. But you can’t pay everyone, and with major money already committed elsewhere, it seems likely that the Sixers will have to wave goodbye to Grimes over the offseason.
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