Quentin Grimes thrived in Philadelphia after being traded there from Dallas at last February’s deadline. In 28 games for the 76ers he averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists a game. Suddenly it was easy to picture him in a rotation with Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and just-drafted VJ Edgecombe to be the future in Philly (whatever happens with Joel Embiid and Paul George).
Except, the 76ers have to pay the restricted free and a deal with Grimes has yet to come together with the sides not particularly close. Reportedly, the team wants at least a three-year deal. Grimes reportedly wants a contract averaging $20 million or more a season, and he has the option of taking the $8.7 million qualifying offer, playing out this season and becoming a free agent.
Philly wants to pay him (maybe not $20 million a season based on just 28 games), but even giving him a contract around the mid-level exception (starting at $14.1 million next season) could send them deep into the tax aprons. So to create cap space, the 76ers are considering salary dump trades of Andre Drummond (set to make $5 million) and/or Kelly Oubre ($8.4 million), Jake Fischer said during a Bleacher Report live stream.
“There has been buzz all summer long about the Sixers looking to potentially move one of, if not both, Andre Drummond and Kelly Oubre. If they are able to find a deal for one of those two guys as we get closer to camp that would open up some more wiggle room for Philadelphia to be able to pay Grimes a little bit more than what he’s looking at right now and what that qualifying offer would be.”
Things are not exactly clear-cut and straightforward for the 76ers.
Both Drummond and Oubre are expected to have larger, more important roles next season if Embiid or George are injured at any point — and both are already heading into training camp limited and likely to miss some time. Then there is the guard spot: Philly already has Maxey at the point backed up by Kyle Lowry, with McCain and Edgecombe playing the two and maybe the three. While Grimes could start and would certainly play in that guard/wing rotation, he’s not going to have the touches and green light he did late last season on a broken-down and demoralized 76ers team playing out the clock. Grimes’ numbers and minutes are not going to be the same. While he is unquestionably a quality player and a good fit, how much do they want to pay him?
The 76ers don’t want Grimes to just take the qualifying offer, they would like to lock him down with a longer deal and have him as part of the future. While Grimes may want a bigger payday, the reality is he’s made $11.1 million total across four NBA seasons and if Philly came to him with something like three years, $45 million, that much money would be tough to turn down. However, with a good number on the qualifying offer ($8.7 million), Grimes may still choose to bet on himself, given that around half a dozen teams or more are expected to have cap space next summer.
There is room for a compromise and a Grimes deal to get done with the 76ers, but it may involve a salary dump trade first.
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