Detroit Pistons fans will have to wait a bit longer to get a better look at Quentin Grimes, whom the team acquired from the New York Knicks at the trade deadline.
Grimes has only played six games for the Pistons since his trade. He has been sidelined since mid-March due to the knee issue that has been bothering him this season even during his time with the Knicks. Unfortunately, Detroit has decided to rule him out for the rest of the campaign as a result of the lingering health setback.
“Sources: Detroit Pistons guard Quentin Grimes will miss the rest of the season to rehab lingering muscle soreness related to knee injury suffered in January. No surgery required and bone bruise in knee has healed. Grimes will be eligible for an extension prior to next season,” Shams Charania of The Athletic reported.
This development came after the Pistons' Friday win against the Washington Wizards. Detroit has eight games remaining in the season.
It's definitely quite the unfortunate turn for Grimes, who was looking to get an increased role and prove himself after falling out of Tom Thibodeau's rotation in New York. It surely looked like he would have the chance in Detroit, especially since the team is rebuilding and there's no pressure of contending for the playoffs.
In the six games he has played for the Pistons, Grimes averaged 5.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists on a horrendous 21.4 percent shooting from the field. It's certainly hard to judge Grimes for his production considering that he never really got the chance to gel with the team. Not to mention that he missed five straight games (seven overall including those prior to his trade) before he made his debut for Motor City.
Grimes' best game with the Pistons came in his second outing when he put up 14 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and three blocks in 24 minutes of action. That performance certainly showed what Grimes can do for Detroit when given more opportunity.
The good news for Grimes is that he won't need surgery, so he should be at 100 percent when the 2024-25 season rolls around.
Quentin Grimes trade to Pistons
The Pistons acquired Quentin Grimes from the Knicks along with Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn, Ryan Arcidiacono and two second-round picks. In return, Detroit sent Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic to New York.
Grimes was a key piece of the trade. While seldom used by the Knicks this 2023-24, he did show in recent years that he can be a star in the league. In 2022-23 when he had a featured role for New York, the 23-year-old wing averaged 11.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 46.8 percent shooting from the field and 38.6 percent from deep.
Grimes is still young and has proven to be solid contributor, so he fits the Pistons' timeline really well. He could have a more prominent role in Detroit alongside Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren next season. Hopefully, though, he doesn't suffer any setback as he recovers from his latest injury.
It remains to be seen how the injury will affect Grimes' bid to get an extension with Detroit. It's possible that he bets on himself and let things play out in 2024-25 in hopes of landing a big payday in 2025 when he becomes a restricted free agent. For now, Pistons fans can only be patient when it comes to his recovery.
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