One of the biggest unresolved issues of this offseason for the Philadelphia 76ers is the contract status of shooting guard Quentin Grimes. Grimes took over as the team's primary scorer down the stretch of last year's injury-riddled season, but there have been questions about whether that was a late-season anomaly or a sign of things to come, and thus far, the two sides have not seen eye to eye on a potential new deal.
Recently, 76ers star Joel Embiid got 100% real on where he stands amid the dispute.
“As players, this is a business. You gotta do what you gotta do as an individual to take care of yourself and your family,” Embiid said, per Keith Pompey of the Inquirer, via Hoopshype. “So just like it happened the last couple of times I’ve been here, it’s the same thing. I don’t blame anybody. I think we’re here with what we have, and I also don’t blame those guys who wanted to take care of themselves. That’s the right play. That’s what I would do if I was in that situation, too.”
An interesting decision for the 76ers
One factor that could play into the 76ers' decision thus far to not pay Grimes what he is asking for is the fact that the team already has a bit of a logjam at the combo guard position. Tyrese Maxey is entering his sixth season in the NBA and has blossomed into an All-Star, while the team also employs Jared McCain, who would have won last year's Rookie of the Year award had he not gotten injured (McCain also recently got injured ahead of the upcoming season).
Combine that with the fact that the 76ers recently spent the number three overall pick they earned with their ineptitude to draft VJ Edgecombe out of Baylor, a fellow combo guard, and it's easy to see why there would be some question as to where Grimes would fit into the rotation, especially on a lucrative contract.
In any case, the 76ers are set to kick off their 2025-26 season on the road against the Boston Celtics on October 22.
