Quentin Grimes is the only one left.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ restricted free agent is taking his free agency run down to the buzzer. It’s still unclear what Grimes will ultimately do.
At the start of the offseason, it was reported that Grimes wanted a multi-year deal with his salary being in the $25 million range. The Sixers understandably did not jump at that price.
Apr 13, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) controls the ball against the Chicago Bulls in the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Months went by with little traction in a deal getting done. As the days passed, it was becoming increasingly clear that Grimes might have to take his qualifying offer and look ahead to another summer of free agency in 2026.
If the Jonathan Kuminga situation taught you anything, it’s that anything can happen before the buzzer sounds off.
The Brooklyn Nets had a similar situation with their homegrown guard, Cam Thomas. After a short—but strong stretch—Thomas hoped to garner a notable multi-year deal from the Nets. At this point, it’s clear that Brooklyn did not come to the table with an offer worth taking.
Thomas ultimately took on the qualifying offer for the upcoming season. He’ll make over $5 million for the year and will hit the free agency market once again next season. While that doesn’t mean Thomas is as good as gone, there seems to be a high chance he parts ways with the Nets.
Jonathan Kuminga seemed to be in the same boat as Thomas, but the veteran forward ended up taking one of the multiple offers he received from the Golden State Warriors. It’s not a long-term deal, and could end up being one year anyway, but Kuminga will make significantly more than the qualifying offer this season. The only issue is that the ball is in the Warriors’ court, as they have a team option for the second season.
Apr 7, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) drives to the basket past Miami Heat forward Kyle Anderson (20) during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Sixers have made it clear they want Grimes around for the 2025-2026 NBA season and beyond. They just don’t seem to be willing to go as high as $25 million per year to make that happen.
With the Sixers, Grimes started 25 of the 28 games he played. The veteran guard averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, while making 37 percent of his threes. The numbers look good, but the circumstances work against his case.
Playing on a Sixers roster mostly without Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Jared McCain, Grimes’ usage was much higher than it typically would be. As a result, his numbers took a notable jump from the 10.2 points he averaged on the Dallas Mavericks.
Grimes has an $8.7 million decision to make on Wednesday. He is the final RFA standing in the market.
More Fastbreak on SI