The Philadelphia 76ers enter the 2025-26 campaign looking to rebound from a disastrous 2024-25, but they may be facing their final season with Quentin Grimes.
Philadelphia acquired Grimes ahead of last season's deadline, and he provided an impressive spark for the injury-riddled squad. Over 28 regular-season appearances with Philadelphia, the 25-year-old swingman averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals across 33.6 minutes per game.
While his short-term burst led to a career-best year, the 2021 first-round pick didn't receive a long-term deal this offseason. Following a drawn-out restricted free agency, Grimes accepted his $8.7 million qualifying offer, ending the offseason without a long-term deal.
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Quentin Grimes gets honest about 76ers future
Following Grimes’ and Philadelphia's failure to reach a new agreement, he spoke about his future with the Sixers and what he wanted from contract talks this offseason, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
"Hopefully, I'll be able to be back here longer,” Grimes said. “I wanted to be back here on a longer-term deal. But I'm happy to be here right now and do everything I can to help this team win.”
Grimes will play out the 2025-26 season with a no-trade clause before entering unrestricted free agency next summer. He bet on himself by taking the qualifying offer, though he is unlikely to get the same opportunities he did last season if the 76ers manage to return to full health.
Still, Grimes’ career-best year was a promising step forward after a down year in 2023-24, during which he played for the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks. He should remain an important contributor for a Sixers squad aiming to bounce back from a 13th-place finish in the East last season.
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