The Philadelphia 76ers made a bold call last summer when they held firm in contract negotiations with Quentin Grimes. Rather than getting swept up in the hype of his late-season breakout, they opted to offer only the qualifying deal-and now, that decision looks more and more like a savvy piece of front office discipline.
Grimes, 25, hasn’t been able to recapture the momentum that once made him one of the league’s more intriguing young guards. Since December, he’s averaged 10.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in nearly 29 minutes per game.
Those aren’t terrible numbers, but they’re a far cry from the production he flashed late last year when he seemed to be on the verge of a breakout. His shooting splits-41.2% from the field and just 32.5% from beyond the arc-tell the story of a player struggling to find rhythm and confidence in a more limited role.
What’s clear now is that the Sixers were right not to overreact to a small sample size. Grimes and his camp reportedly believed his late-season surge justified a payday in the $20-25 million per year range.
That’s a big bet on a short stretch of hot shooting, and Philadelphia wisely didn’t bite. With no serious suitors lining up, the Sixers were essentially negotiating against themselves-and they knew it.
Fast forward to midseason, and the gamble is paying off. Grimes’ role has diminished, and while he began the year as a legitimate contender for Sixth Man of the Year, his stock has since cooled considerably. What once looked like a potential contract-year success story has turned into a cautionary tale about overvaluing a short-term spike in production.
That doesn’t mean Grimes is without value. He’s still a capable rotation piece with upside, especially on the defensive end.
But the idea of him commanding $20 million annually now feels like a distant memory. If he wants to stick in Philly-or land a decent deal elsewhere-he’ll likely need to recalibrate expectations and finish the season strong.
From the Sixers’ perspective, this is a win. They avoided locking themselves into a long-term deal based on a flash-in-the-pan performance, and they’ve preserved flexibility for the future.
They gave Grimes the opportunity to prove he could thrive in a defined role, and so far, he hasn’t seized it. That’s not a knock on his potential, but it’s a reminder that projecting long-term value requires more than a hot streak.
Unless Grimes turns things around in a big way over the second half of the season, the Sixers won’t feel pressure to retain him at a premium. And given his current trajectory, it’s unlikely other teams will be lining up to hand him a major raise either.
For now, Philadelphia’s front office deserves credit for trusting their evaluation and staying patient. In a league where teams often overpay for upside, the Sixers chose prudence-and it’s paying off.