The Philadelphia 76ers entered negotiations with Quentin Grimes understanding two key truths. One was the simple fact that Grimes had broken out in Philadelphia, scoring at career-best levels in 28 appearances with the 76ers. The other was that he had never sustainably reached this level in the past—an alarming truth compounded by the fact he was on his fourth team in as many seasons.
Unfortunately, the 76ers' decision to wait Grimes out in free agency in hopes of signing him to what they deemed a team-friendly deal is bordering on disastrous after he accepted his qualifying offer.
Grimes spent three full months as a restricted free agent, debating whether or not to accept Philadelphia's best proposal. The alternative was accepting his qualifying offer, which would mean receiving significantly less money but gaining access to unrestricted free agency in 2026.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Grimes has opted to go the latter route, accepting a qualifying offer worth $8.7 million for the 2025-26 season.
Restricted free agent Quentin Grimes is signing a one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer to return to the Philadelphia 76ers, agent David Bauman told ESPN. Grimes will now hold an inherent no-trade clause and enter a more flush market in unrestricted free agency next summer. pic.twitter.com/RZz2XIPu1A
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 1, 2025
Philadelphia was wise to proceed with caution, but it's fair ponder if they've created a self-inflicted wound that could derail their progress.
76ers were wisely cautious with Quentin Grimes, but now face worst-case scenario
In 28 appearances with the 76ers, Grimes recorded averages of 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 while shooting at a sustainable clip with a slash line of .469/.373/.752.
For perspective: Grimes boasts a career slash line of .444/.375/.763 that's close enough to what he managed with Philadelphia to believe the slight uptick in field goal percentage can be sustained.
Unfortunately, the 76ers had more to consider than how well he performed in 2025-26. Grimes played for four teams across his first four NBA seasons, never truly seeming to secure a consistent role despite the various stops he'd made.
It's perhaps unfair to hold that against him, but the 76ers were wise to proceed with caution considering his previous career-best averages were 11.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.
Unfortunately, the 76ers found themselves residing on the thin line between caution and irrational fear. As a result, a potentially vital player who can provide depth and size along the wings has gone from a developable long-term contributor to an individual who could realistically be a rental.
As an unrestricted free agent, Grimes will reserve the right to sign with a different franchise in 2026—and the 76ers could thus lose him for no return whatsoever.
Philadelphia deserves credit for not caving and paying Grimes the contract he requested at more than $20 million per season—a figure he simply lacks the consistency to justify. Unfortunately, the fact that it came back with a four-year, $39 million proposal that effectively only paid him $1 million more per season than his qualifying offer was ultimately a devastating decision.
Philadelphia may be vindicated in the end, but the decision to low-ball Grimes was the step that took them over the thin line between caution and disaster.