Through the most unfortunate of developments, the door has been opened for Quentin Grimes to immediately solidify his place as one of the top players on the Philadelphia 76ers. Injuries have sidelined several key players, thus resulting in inevitable voids to be filled.
With no fewer than two featured players set to be sidelined at the start of the 2025-26 regular season, Grimes will have a chance to instantly secure his future.
The 76ers are preparing to enter the 2025-26 regular season without Joel Embiid, Paul George, or Jared McCain—with George the only player expected to return sooner than later. If past success is a sign of things to come, then they'll likely rank as three of the four most heavily-featured players on the offensive end of the floor along with Tyrese Maxey.
If that quartet of high-level shot creators can get and stay healthy at the same time, then Grimes would potentially lose a considerable number of touches and shots.
Thankfully, Grimes has a golden opportunity to remain a prominent figure once they return by thriving early in the 2025-26 season. There's an undeniable void to be filled on the offensive end of the floor, and he proved a season ago that he's equipped to help do so.
If Grimes makes the most of this opportunity to thrive with three of the 76ers' top scoring options sidelined, then the entire dynamic of the rotation could change.
76ers' Injuries enable Quentin Grimes to instantly secure featured role
Grimes arrived in Philadelphia through a Feb. 4 trade that many thought was a lateral move. He'd been swapped for Caleb Martin and a second-round draft pick, thus suggesting the 76ers were merely swinging for the fences on a player who played for four teams in as many seasons.
Grimes hit the ground running in Philadelphia, however, turning in the best stretch of his career and showcasing clear potential as one of the team's go-to scorers.
Grimes started 25 of his 28 appearances with the 76ers, averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 2.9 three-point field goals made per game. He did so in a sustainable manner, shooting at a clip of .469/.373/.752 that closely resembles his career slash line of .444/.375/.763.
It's also worth noting that Grimes' uptick in production began before he joined the 76ers, as he'd averaged 16.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per 36 minutes with the Dallas Mavericks.
With an increase in playing time, Grimes showed what he could do in both on and off-ball capacities. Long pigeonholed into a restrictive 3-and-D role, he began to show his versatility with the Mavericks and took a clear step forward with the 76ers.
That includes a stretch between Mar. 1 and Apr. 7, during which he posted 46 and 44-point performances, four games with at least 30 points, and 13 showings with 25-plus.
The obvious retort is that Philadelphia was regularly dropping games during that time due to the unfathomable rush of injuries to stars and starters. Grimes played alongside both George and Maxey when they were healthy, however, including on the night of his 44-point eruption against the Golden State Warriors.
If Grimes proves that his 28-game stretch of brilliance can carry over into the 2025-26 season, then it stands to reason that he'll continue to receive significant opportunities once the 76ers are healthy again.