All summer long, the PhiladelphIa 76ers have been kept in suspense because of their ongoing standstill with Quentin Grimes, who has been steadfast in his demand for a lucrative payday as a restricted free agent, especially in the aftermath of a mini-breakout stint last season when he cam over to Philly from Dallas before the trade deadline.
But as is the case with most high-end restricted free agents, the 76ers have yet to come to a resolution with Grimes’ camp on a specific figure that will keep them happy. With training camp set to commence in just a few weeks, there is still some uncertainty as to what their roster would look like, although the expectation of the majority is that he will eventually come back on certain terms.
Having said that, the 76ers cannot operate under the belief that something uncertain will come to fruition. Stranger things have happened, and it is not impossible for the franchise to lose out of the blue.
It is imperative for the 76ers to break this impasse as soon as possible, and to come to that point, they will be better served if they do these moves.
The 76ers should pull off these trades to finally close the Quentin Grimes chapter
As reported by NBA insider Jake Fischer, the 76ers have explored the possibility of trading both Andre Drummond and Kelly Oubre Jr. in hopes of freeing up more money to offer to Grimes. But obviously, that has not materialized just yet.
Now, trading both of those players should not take a trek. Both Drummond and Oubre are on expiring deals, and should be able to thrive in different conditions on teams with more ideal personnel.
The 76ers still got time to find a taker for both of those veterans. Drummond, while seeing his numbers and overall production dip last season, still has value as a backup center who can give a team an instant edge on the boards.
On the flip side, Oubre, save for his lack of a reliable three-point shot, has become a steady role player with improved defensive acuity. His rim-running remains intact, although his tunnel vision limits his value as an on-ball operator.
Quentin Grimes will be highly important for the Philadelphia 76ers, and it is incumbent upon the front office to ensure that their massive steal from last season does not turn out to be a half-year rental.