After an ironically tiring standstill that lasted several months, the Philadelphia 76ers finally got a resolution on the Quentin Grimes front. The erstwhile restricted free agent, who was gunning for a handsome payday during the offseason, eventually settled for the team's qualifying offer amounting to $8.7 million, allowing him to hit the open market anew next year.
Grimes officially being back is a much-needed relief for the 76ers. Sure, it does come with a bevy of consequences affecting the team's flexibility and asset management moving forward, but it fills an urgent void left by Jared McCain, who will be sidelined for at least four to six weeks due to an untimely UCL fracture on his thumb.
For now, Philly has a lot more security on their rotation. Now, it will probably take a while for him to rejoin the team on the hardwood, but just having him back in the loop will give the coaching staff actual material to work with when it comes to minting lineups and pairing him with the right mix of players.
Having said that, the 76ers front office cannot possibly be satisfied by pulling off a move that was far from unprecedented. Grimes, after all, was always going to return to the franchise for another go-round. And with that tedious impasse now over, it's time for Daryl Morey and his cohorts to address another gaping roster hole.
The 76ers badly need to sign a three-point shooter
The 76ers dropped their first preseason game against the Knicks in Abu Dhabi, which is probably not shocking in view of the fact that they shot 8.6 percent from the three-point line. In tangible terms, they drained just three of their 35 attempts from rainbow country.
Shooting remains a giant point of concern with this group, and even this early, the front office's failure to take action to abate that weakness is already haunting them. The 76ers simply cannot head into the regular season relying on their battalion of subpar snipers, unless they are waging a losing battle to begin with, for reasons beyond ordinary contemplation.
With teams having a surplus of players on their training camp rosters, the 76ers are bound to see a possible asset or two get left off the shelves. That would be the time for the front office to swoop in and snatch a possible game-changer in the form of a three-point marksman.
It does not even have to be a tenured player. The team only needs someone who will not require concurrent prayers from fans when he is hoisting a shot from the three-point line.
To the 76ers front office –– kindly just grab a reliable shooter. It's not rocket science. You need it badly.