Report: Quentin Grimes accepts $8.7 million qualifying offer, returning to Sixers and limiting team’s long-term control

After months without an agreement, restricted free agent Quentin Grimes has accepted his $8.7 million qualifying offer to return to the Sixers, according to a report from Shams Charania of ESPN:

Grimes taking the qualifying offer was seen as the worst-case scenario for the Sixers, as Grimes will have a no-trade clause for the entirety of the 2025-26 season and become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The 25-year-old is taking a massive gamble on his ability to generate a robust market in free agency in 2026, and in the process has nearly voided the Sixers’ long-term control of his services entirely.

Grimes was a restricted free agent because he completed his fourth NBA season after not signing an extension last summer. The Sixers could match any offer sheet he signed with another team, but in a particularly brutal market for restricted free agents with almost no cap space out there, Grimes returning to the Sixers on a deal closer to their preference than his seemed like an inevitability.

But the situation dragged on for months, culminating in a contentious final week which included Grimes’ agent blasting Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey for what he characterized as a lack of serious negotiating. Instead of eventually relenting by signing a long-term deal at what many believe would have been a team-friendly price point, Grimes has chosen to bet on himself in the boldest of manners.

The Sixers acquired Grimes from the Dallas Mavericks last February, trading Caleb Martin to the Mavericks just a few months into a four-year contract as the trade deadline neared. They received Grimes and their own 2025 second-round pick in return; that pick ended up being the No. 35 overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, Johni Broome. When Martin’s medical was flagged, the Sixers added a 2030 second-rounder to the deal to finalize the agreement.

At the time, the rationale for adding Grimes was that despite being much younger than Martin, he arguably had a more stable skillset with some theoretical upward mobility. It was the third time Grimes had been traded in his four-year career, but nobody doubted his skill as a three-point shooter and versatility as a perimeter defender. He already had a fairly impressive track record as a supporting player, and the Sixers viewed him as an ideal fit alongside Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and Joel Embiid.

Then something unexpected happened. As all three of those stars went down with injuries, Grimes was empowered to handle the ball and hunt his own shots. Grimes insisted that he was prepared for the opportunity, highlighting his experience playing point guard in high school. But even he had to be surprised at what ensued.

Grimes quickly blossomed into a legitimately dynamic three-level scoring threat, and despite oftentimes sharing the floor with zero rotation-caliber teammates down the stretch of the season, he posted gargantuan scoring numbers on stellar efficiency. Most of those games were losses, but Grimes’ individual production was almost more impressive given how few threats were available alongside him.

In 28 games with the Sixers, Grimes logged 33.7 minutes per game, averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from beyond the arc on 7.9 three-point attempts per game. Grimes posted a 59.2 true shooting percentage, which despite his massive volume and limited support was well above the league average of 57.6 percent. In fact, Grimes shot 7-for-31 across his final two games of the season while battling injuries. Because the Sixers had so few players available, Grimes had to play. If he had not played in those games, his season would have ended with him averaging 22.6 points per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from long range on 7.7 attempts per game, good for an astounding 60.2 true shooting percentage.

Grimes figures to slot into a more traditional off-ball role next season, but his breakout as a scorer will certainly lead to a role next year that includes a healthier blend of off-ball and on-ball duties.

Speaking of role, Grimes is likely the frontrunner to start alongside Maxey in the backcourt when the 2025-26 season begins despite the eventual return of Jared McCain and team selecting VJ Edgecombe with the No. 3 overall pick. However, Grimes’ chances of sticking around in Philadelphia long-term just decreased significantly, and the team could very well lose any chance it had to utilize him as a trade asset. It stands to reason that crafting an optimal role for Grimes could become much less of a priority as a result.

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