There may be trouble in the City of Brotherly Love, but the Quentin Grimes era is here.
The Philadelphia 76ers had massive expectations heading into this season when Paul George arrived. Adding another all-star caliber player to a lineup featuring Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey was supposed to be the missing Championship contending piece after several recent playoff exits. Fast forward to March, where the team finds itself 20 games under .500. With that, is the team focused on capturing Cooper Flagg, rather than competing for a play-in seed?
Quentin Grimes Is On His Way To NBA Stardom
George hasn’t worked out in his first year in Philly, but what has panned out is the addition of Quentin Grimes. On Feb. 4, the team made a brilliant execution that sent Caleb Martin to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Grimes and a second-round pick. It was clear the trade's purpose was to test if a younger asset could become a future fixture.
So far, the 24-year-old is passing the test with flying colors. With Dallas, Grimes averaged 10.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. In 14 games with Philadelphia, Grimes has blossomed into one of the top scorers, although a small sample size. In the Embiid-less Sixers era, Grimes is putting up a career-best 18.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. On Monday night, he lit up the box score with 35 points, marking his fourth time scoring 30-plus for Philadelphia.
With that, Grimes officially has more 30-plus games than Paul George this season.
That also includes a career-high 44-point night in a surprising win over Golden State on March 1. Since the historic night, Grimes is averaging 25.7 points per game, which is 21st best in the league in that span. That puts him in a group between Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards and New Orleans’ Zion Williams. Specifically when looking at guards, Grimes is No. 13 in scoring since the beginning of March.
Quentin Grimes Cements Himself as a Key Piece Moving Forward
It’s unlikely Daryl Morey envisioned this level of success when the 76ers acquired the Houston native. There’s since been some fortunate breaks for Grimes since his arrival, which signals optimism for the franchise. The unfortunate news of Joel Embiid's season ending injury, along with a slew of other player ailments, has presented more opportunities.
Since his arrival in Philadelphia, Quentin Grimes is the 76ers third leading scorer with 18.6 points per game. In 14 games, the guard is averaging 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals. With a 38.7 three-point percentage, has Philadelphia finally found their missing two-way star?
Regardless, Grimes has supplanted himself in a position where the organization can tab Embiid, Maxey, and Grimes as the next potential big three. That is, of course, if they offer him an extension at the conclusion of the season. At this point, it’ll be unlikely the Sixers let Grimes walk in the summer after witnessing his recent performances. That’s partially why Philadelphia made the trade in the first place. They desired to get a first-hand look at the young player before making a future decision.
The 2021 first-round pick has proven he can play if afforded more minutes. This is something Grimes never had much of in prior stops with the the Knicks, Pistons, and Mavericks. Since landing in Philadelphia, Grimes has the most usage in his career with 22.8. Notching 32.8 minutes per night on the hardwood further solidifies increased usage leads to higher production
If Embiid and George are healthy for the 2025-26 season, a backcourt pairing of Maxey and Grimes, with a lottery pick, can be just what the Sixers need to return to NBA title contenders.
