With each passing game, it is becoming less certain for the Philadelphia 76ers to want to re-sign Quentin Grimes in free agency. The 25-year-old has subsisted in his disappearing act all season long, and the most troubling development is that he is becoming invisible when the stakes are higher. As he hits the open market, the team could flat-out opt to just let him walk.
If that ends up being the case, the 76ers have to find a direct replacement for him. Fortunately for them, a familiar face in Philly should be available in the open market. De'Anthony Melton, who spent a couple of seasons with the franchise not too long ago, has a player option which he will most likely decline in search of a pay raise this summer.
Melton quickly emerged as a key piece for the Warriors this season after returning from his lengthy injury rehab. He averaged 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per outing despite tallying just 23 minutes a night. He was constantly filling up the boxscore with his two-way play, which was basically the reason why he became one of Steve Kerr's favorites on the roster.
The 76ers could sign De'Anthony Melton to replace Quentin Grimes in free agency
Melton's shooting splits hardly inspire confidence in the prospect of treating him as a bench catalyst, but he has always been the kind of player coaches can plug and play in any lineup configuration. After all, he is quite adept on the defensive end, and his secondary playmaking is reliable enough to keep the offense dynamic.
His three-point shooting (which clocked in at just 29.4 percent this season) is a concern, but not so much a troubling one. After all, he drained nearly 38 percent of his triples when he was still with the 76ers. He had a lot of rust coming back from an absence that lasted for more than a year, so his meager shooting splits can be excused.
Signing Melton will not make the 76ers break the bank, either. As such, there is a lot to like about the possibility of having him replace Grimes. While he is more of a complementary piece than a scoring option, Philly actually has a more pressing need for that player DNA due to their lack of perimeter defense in the backcourt and dearth of playmaking.
The 76ers have a lot of decisions lurking behind them as the offseason looms, and one of those will be deciding Quentin Grimes' fate. But if he keeps being underwhelming, the front office should not hesitate to drop the hammer on him, especially with a more foolproof option like De'Anthony Melton poised to be available.
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