The Philadelphia 76ers remain at a contractual crossroads regarding Quentin Grimes. The young shooting guard, who quickly became a key player after arriving from the Mavericks in February, has yet to reach an agreement on a contract extension—and the impasse revolves around value.
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Therefore, according to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, the solution could involve a bold move in the market. The franchise is currently considering trading Andre Drummond and Kelly Oubre Jr. to free up cap space and thus offer a more attractive contract to Grimes, who is a restricted free agent, as are Jonathan Kuminga and Josh Giddey, of the Warriors and Bulls, respectively.
“There have been rumors all offseason that the Sixers could trade one, or even both, of Drummond and Oubre. If they can reach a deal before the start of training camp, it will open up the margin to pay Grimes a bit more,” Fischer revealed.
In any case, the deadline for Grimes to sign his $8.7 million qualifying offer is October 1. If he doesn’t reach a new contract by then, he could become an unrestricted free agent next NBA offseason, which increases the urgency for Philadelphia to resolve the situation.
At 24 years old, Grimes impressed in his first 28 games for the Sixers, averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. His rapid rise has put him at the center of the team’s plans for the immediate future.
Drummond, 32, is worth $5 million this season and contributed 7.3 points and 7.8 rebounds in 40 games last year. Meanwhile, Oubre, 29, will receive $8.4 million after recording 15.1 points and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games.
Although they are important pieces of the 76ers’ rotation, both could end up being sacrificed to ensure Quentin Grimes stays, given his high potential and ideal fit within the roster. For now, the outlook remains uncertain, but one thing is certain. The Sixers’ priority is to prevent their new talent from escaping to the market. Instead, the team is counting on him in its restructuring for the future.
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