76ers’ Quentin Grimes Could Sign $8.7M Qualifying Offer

The Philadelphia 76ers extended an $8.7 million qualifying offer to veteran guard Quentin Grimes, and the general consensus among NBA insiders is that the 25-year-old seems destined to sign the one-year contract.

“I can absolutely say that the Sixers — various people in the organization when asked — keep saying that Quentin Grimes is their top priority,” Jake Fischer reported Thursday during a Bleacher Report live stream.

“And that they are going to bring Quentin Grimes back, it’s just a matter of dollars and cents. There is some buzz of him taking the qualifying offer too.”

76ers, Quentin Grimes Remain In Contract Stalemate

The Athletic’s Kelly Iko and Tony Jones reported last month that Philadelphia has had “little to no movement” in contract discussions between the front office and Grimes.

Grimes, a restricted free agent, could end up signing the qualifying offer, which would allow the former first-rounder to hit unrestricted free agency next summer.

Another option would be for Grimes and the Sixers to work out a sign-and-trade agreement. That scenario is unlikely, as it would require Philadelphia to search for a suitable trade candidate for the four-year veteran.

More importantly, the 76ers want to retain the Texas native and bring him back on some type of contract. If the two sides are unable to reach a new deal, then Oct. 1 is the deadline to sign that qualifying offer.

Grimes Replaced Injured Guards Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain

Grimes appeared in 28 games (25 starts) with the 76ers last season after he was acquired in a Feb. 4 trade with the Dallas Mavericks.

He received extended playing time on a Sixers squad that dealt with injuries to key guards such as Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain.

In 75 games (35 starts) split between the Mavericks and Sixers, Grimes averaged a career-high 14.6 points on 46.7% shooting from the field and 38.5% from 3-point range.

According to Basketball Reference, Grimes also joined Maxey, Allen Iverson, and Hal Greer as the only guards in Sixers history to average 28.5 points in a 10-game stretch.