Quentin Grimes’ decision to officially accept the Philadelphia 76ers’ qualifying offer brought an end to what had become the longest-running contract stalemate of the offseason.
The 25-year-old guard, valued around the league for his two-way ability as a perimeter defender and reliable shooter, showed flashes of promise during the latter part of last season.
Still, his strong finish didn’t generate the type of outside interest that might have led to an offer sheet.
According to reporting from Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the lack of movement on Grimes’ market stemmed from a combination of the Sixers’ financial situation and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey’s calculated approach to negotiations.
Morey has long leaned on the philosophy of letting the open market dictate terms for restricted free agents, rather than bidding against himself.
With so few teams holding significant cap space this summer, there was little chance of Grimes receiving a lucrative deal elsewhere, which left the Sixers with little incentive to extend him one.
Philadelphia’s current roster construction also played a role. Pompey notes that the team is already financially tied up in massive contracts for Paul George and Joel Embiid, deals that would be difficult to move if the franchise ever attempted to reset.
On top of that, the Sixers have invested in inexpensive shooting guard depth through first-round pick Jared McCain and rookie VJ Edgecombe.
From the front office’s perspective, locking Grimes into a long-term, high-value contract that could eventually become a trade burden simply didn’t make sense.
On the court, Grimes’ production last season was eye-catching at first glance. Across 28 appearances for Philadelphia, he averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.
However, Pompey pointed out that evaluators around the league remain skeptical of those numbers.
An anonymous executive told him that the statistics were inflated by context, noting that they came late in the season when the Sixers were openly tanking, lowering the stakes and allowing Grimes greater freedom.
In the end, the qualifying offer allows Grimes to bet on himself for another year while giving the Sixers short-term flexibility.
Whether his late-season surge was a preview of genuine growth or just a product of circumstance remains an open question heading into the new campaign.
Sixers Notes: Grimes, Edgecombe, Barlow, Bona https://t.co/wua7QCkEDn pic.twitter.com/z3EMWFIBnv
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) October 4, 2025
