How The Sixers And Quentin Grimes Could Find Common Ground

Forbes

4 days ago

The Philadelphia 76ers and Quentin Grimes are, like many other restricted free agent situations around the NBA, without significant development.
The Sixers are likely trying to squeeze Grimes, while he's trying to command a lucrative salary based on his play to wrap up the season.
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Since getting traded to the Sixers over the course of trade deadline, Grimes leveled up his play, averaging 21.9 points over 28 games, while sporting an efficiency of 59.2% true-shooting.
Those numbers are fairly impressive, even if they were gathered primarily in the dead months of the active season. Often, that type of production on a bad team (which the Sixers were at the time due to a plethora of injuries) would be tied to middling efficiency, but that wasn't the case with Grimes.
The 6'5 shooting guard showcased a much higher proficiency at creating his own offense than ever before, and he even began drawing fouls, which sent him to the free throw line.
Grimes, who's primarily been seen as spot-up shooter who could complement high-usage players, now has shown an ability of creation which gives him a higher ceiling.
While he's never likely to become some type of Tier 1 star, the fact that Grimes can create his own offense, including creating his own perimeter jump shots, has to be considered a luxury for a team that's often injured, and thus in need of players who can do something with the ball in their hands.
What seems fair?
Of course, teams will never pay a player for skills they don't expect them to use. If the Sixers see Grimes as primarily a role player, who can - occasionally - stretch his own limits, that's how they'll try to pay him.
It might sound like a skeptical approach, but that's simply the reality of the situation.
Furthermore, the organization is likely to use the small sample size, and aforementioned dead months of the regular season, as arguments against Grimes.
They have no proof of the 25-year-old being able to do this consistently over the course of a full season, nor have they seen it when games truly matter.
From the other side of the coin, Grimes did showcase talents no one really thought he had, meaning that's now something that has to be taken into consideration for the future.
So, what's all this worth?
It's a good question, and the answer probably lies in years, as opposed to raw compensation level, although that does matter as well.
If Grimes is seeking long-term money, odds are good the Sixers are trying to get him at a lower number, so he gets financial security, but isn't stuck in their books at a hefty price tag, in case he regresses.
But perhaps there could be common ground elsewhere.
Should the Sixers hand Grimes a balloon deal, consisting of two years, in an attempt to see if he can justify that level of salary? That would at least be an interesting approach.
Grimes gets a significant pay bump, but it only lasts for two seasons, and then he can play his way into a new deal, starting at similar value, in 2027 and onwards, assuming he maintains that level.
If he doesn't live up to a two-year balloon deal, then he'll have to settle for a more realistic contract in 2027, which should then be easier to swallow given the seasons he, in this scenario, would have just completed.
There should be a path towards agreement here. It's all about finding it.
Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.