With the NBA Finals now over, the Philadelphia 76ers –– as is the case with all other teams –– can now look officially look forward to the offseason. And just like clockwork, the front office will once again be on deck for some major decisions in the free agency market. But before they tap external help, their brain trust will first have to figure out their strategy with regard to their own free agents.
Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes are their two most important impending free agents, but the 76ers' financial outlooks makes it appear like the team will have to pick one over the other. Many think of this as a budding quandary, but in all honesty, there is really only one answer to this –– that there is no debate because Oubre should be their main priority.
No offense to Grimes who was a vital piece of the puzzle for Philly during the regular season, but people would be disingenuous if they think that he was as important as Oubre was for the group in the recently concluded campaign. The veteran forward turned in one of his strongest years as a pro, and it is now a must for the front office to do everything in their power to convince him to return.
The 76ers should easily pick Kelly Oubre Jr. over Quentin Grimes
There is definitely some preemptive air in assuming that the 76ers will not pay the luxury tax to keep both players in question, but inasmuch as precedence dictates the premise of this think piece, it would simply be more practical for Philly to seek cheaper options out in the open market to supplant Grimes, who is clearly more replaceable than Oubre anyway.
This season, Grimes was so-so for the most part. He averaged just 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game despite playing nearly 30 minutes a night. He shot a career-worst 33.34 percent from three-point range, which drastically reduced his effectiveness as a supposed generator of space for a 76ers team in dire need of more room to operate for the stars. Oh, and he was notably unproductive in the postseason.
In comparison, Oubre was a strong two-way piece for Philly this year. He shot above league-average from three-point territory, but most importantly, he was arguably their most reliable defender all season long, especially during the playoffs.
Really, there is no debate here. If they indeed get cudgeled into a position where they will have to pick just one, the 76ers should indubitably opt to go with Kelly Oubre. Quentin Grimes is a serviceable backup, but this team requires more than just "serviceable." Since they are spending big for a role player anyway, they might as well go with the steadier hand, which is the former.
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