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With the NBA offseason winding down, several restricted free agents remain without contracts. Among the most notable is Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes. While Grimes and the 76ers are not reportedly close on an extnesion, NBA insider Jake Fischer feels the two sides will agree to one before the start of the season.
“I can absolutely say that the Sixers—various people in the organization, when asked—keep saying that Quentin Grimes is their top priority. And that they are going to bring Quentin Grimes back, it's just a matter of dollars and cents,” Fischer said on his Bleacher Report live stream. “There is some buzz of him taking the qualifying offer, too. I do think, at the end of the day, as things get to September and maybe even closer to October, that there will be enough synergy [to get a deal done] between Quentin Grimes and the Sixers… Quentin Grimes has never made significant money throughout his tenure as an NBA player. He absolutely stands to benefit from taking a significant offer, whatever it ends up being, from Philadelphia.”
Grimes broke out with the 76ers last season after joining the team in a trade from the Dallas Mavericks at the deadline. The 24-year-old averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals on 47/37/75 shooting splits over 28 appearances.
That success has left him seeking a significant salary increase during the first free agency of his career.
Will Quentin Grimes and the 76ers agree to a new contract before next season?
While Grimes and other restricted free agents are holding out for significant paydays, they have little leverage in negotiations. The Brooklyn Nets are the NBA's only team with cap space and have not shown interest in bringing in a big-money free agent. Because of this, the most Grimes and other restricted free agents can receive from opposing teams is the $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
The 76ers have little incentive to exceed that $14.1 million number. If Grimes is unwilling to accept a deal in that range, he could sign his $8.5 million qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next offseason. If he does so, he would have veto rights on any trade during this coming season.
However, accepting the qualifying offer would be a risky proposition for a player who has yet to receive a significant payday during his NBA career. Grimes would run the risk of getting injured or his production falling off. Further, with the 76ers getting healthier and Grimes heading for unrestricted free agency, he could have a diminished role compared to late last season.
The standstill between Grimes and Philadelphia doesn't have to reach a resolution anytime soon. Oct. 1 is the deadline for restricted free agents to sign the qualifying offer. Both sides can agree to push the date back further.
