Quentin Grimes earned the respect of the Sixers. Now he’s putting the league on notice.
Grimes joined the Sixers to complement stars Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey. But he's been a lethal scorer in his own right, averaging 32.6 points over his last five games.
OKLAHOMA CITY — The revelation is as breathtaking as a Quentin Grimes three-pointer, and as valuable as his defensive presence.
The 76ers acquired a gem from the Dallas Mavericks at the NBA trade deadline.
Grimes excelled while starting at shooting guard alongside point guard Tyrese Maxey in the backcourt. The 6-foot-5, 205-pounder served as a steady backup point guard to Maxey. He thrived at the center of the offense with Maxey sidelined.
And that’s not all.
Grimes also guards the opposing team’s elite perimeter scorer. He’s also been a prolific scorer in his own right, averaging 32.6 points over his last five games.
The 24-year-old has showcased all those skills in 17 games with the Sixers (23-45).
But his scoring prowess is what has stood out the most as he’s tallied 30 points or more five times. He finished with career highs of 46 points, eight three-pointers, and 13 rebounds in Monday’s 144-137 overtime loss to the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center. Grimes became the first player in franchise history with at least 45 points, 10 rebounds, and five three-pointers in a game. He also became the first Sixer with at least 45 points and eight threes in a game.
Grimes’ previous career high was the 44 points he scored in the Sixers’ 126-119 home loss to the Golden State Warriors on March 1. He also had a 35-point outing against the Atlanta Hawks on March 10. The former University of Houston standout scored 30 in road games against the Brooklyn Nets (Feb. 12) and Minnesota Timberwolves (March 4).
“I’m watching the game just like you are,” said Nick Nurse, whose Sixers faced the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night at Paycom Center. “Every time he vaults up, you think it’s going in, right? I know it’s probably an incredible feeling for him. But it’s also a good feeling for everybody.”
As a Sixer, Grimes is averaging career highs in points (21.4), rebounds (5.5), assists (3.8), steals (1.5), and minutes played (33.2). He’s also averaging 0.6 blocks and shooting 39.3% on three-pointers.
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Not bad for the fourth-year veteran who came to Philadelphia with career averages of 8.9 points and 2.8 rebounds, in addition to being a 37.6% career three-point shooter.
But he’s far from surprised.
“You got to just prepare yourself in the offseason,” Grimes said. “You never know when an opportunity like this can be presented. But you got to be ready at all times. And I prepare like that in the offseason, off days, practice. I take it very seriously.
“So, I mean, as long as you stay prepared and ready, I don’t think I’m surprised by it because you have to stay ready for the opportunity. And I’m taking full advantage of it.”
But staying ready isn’t is the only reason he’s consistently excelling in a way he hadn’t during previous stops with the Mavs, Detroit Pistons, and New York Knicks.
“We have a good relationship already,” Grimes said of the Sixers coaches. “They talk to me a lot about just what they want from me out there being a point guard, a backup point guard when Tyrese was in and out. Or just that trust factor you have with a coach can really be a big confidence boost when you are on the court, for sure.”
Nurse’s level of trust in Grimes has provided freedom he’s not seen since being a 2018 McDonald’s All American from The Woodlands College Park High School in the Houston area.
“But it’s the NBA,” Grimes said. “You got to go out there. You have to earn your minutes. And you have to earn that trust.”
He started earning the trust from coaches and teammates while with the Mavs earlier this season. He says coach Jason Kidd, guard Kyrie Irving, and former Mavs superstar Luka Dončić let him do his thing. As a result, Grimes shot 39.8% on three-pointers in 47 games with Dallas.
“And once the trade happened, I feel like coach Nurse, after my first couple of games, got more comfortable with me,” he said. “Then I got to keep earning minutes, earning trust, and earning that freedom. I feel like I’ve definitely done a good job of earning that and that trust factor we have with Coach Nurse has been great for me.”
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Even though he’s a restricted free agent, the Mavs didn’t trust that they could afford to re-sign Grimes. That’s why they traded him.
Now, one has to wonder if the Sixers will be able to keep him.
Restricted free agents can sign offer sheets with other teams, but the original team is allowed to match that offer. If the Sixers were to match an outside offer, Grimes would return to Philly.
But what if another team is willing to overpay for Grimes, knowing the Sixers have a lot of money tied to Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Maxey? Will the Sixers still match a deal that has the potential to set them back financially?
Time will tell.
“You want to have a lot of interest,” he said of free agency. “You want to have a lot of people that want you. You want to be sought after. And everything I like, Philly definitely has the upper hand. I love what I’m doing right here. I love the coaching staff, the players. I got a great relationship with a lot of people on this team and staff.
“Whatever happens in the offseason, it will happen. But I mean at the end of the day, it’s a business . So let’s see what happens in the offseason when it gets there.”
No matter how it ends up, the Sixers know, at least for the time being, they have a gem in Grimes.