It's safe to say that the Philadelphia Sixers have had a mixed offseason thus far. On the positive side, they drafted V.J. Edgecombe third overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, but only after Ace Bailey refused to work out for them.
They did bring back Kelly Oubre on an affordable deal, but lost Guerschon Yabusele to their rivals, the New York Knicks. Fortunately for them, they may be able to hold on to their biggest free agent, Quentin Grimes.
Grimes is a restricted free agent who was hoping to get a new contract that would pay him $25 million annually. Unfortunately for him, the money has dried up in free agency, with the few teams that had it spending it elsewhere.
The Utah Jazz were rumored to be potentially clearing out enough cap space to sign him to a big offer sheet, but that's yet to happen, and it may not happen. That puts Grimes at a major disadvantage and gives the Sixers a fantastic chance to retain him.
Quentin Grimes' free agency market is scarce
That would be a huge deal considering how well he played last season. In the 28 games he played with the Sixers after being traded from the Dallas Mavericks, he averaged an outstanding 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals. He also shot an impressive 47% from the field and 37% from three.
Despite the absence of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George for the season, retaining Grimes would provide the Sixers with a valuable and versatile player. In fact, Grimes could potentially help the Sixers recover from their disastrous 2024-25 season.
There is a possibility that Grimes could take the qualifying offer worth $8.7 million. That would essentially be a one-year deal with him able to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
The Philadelphia Sixers may keep Quentin Grimes after all
In that case, the 76ers may have a much tougher time keeping him, with more teams having cap space in the summer of 2026. However, they would have him next season, where he could make a big impact on a team that will hopefully be much healthier than it was last season.
Worst case, they could potentially trade him next season, before the deadline, allowing them to recoup assets for him. More likely, he would play out next season. And while there may be more money available in free agency next summer, his numbers won't be nearly as eye-popping as they were this year. That could open the door for the Sixers to potentially re-sign him long term if things work out.
All told, the Sixers may be able to retain Grimes for next season, thanks to a lack of competitive offers. That would allow them to see how he fits their roster, which should be near full strength, and potentially allow them to keep him or trade him down the road.