The Quentin Grimes front just got an interesting twist given how the Philadelphia 76ers opted to maneuver in the 2026 NBA Draft. Facing unrestricted free agency, the guard and his camp will once again be on the hunt for the most lucrative deal available just like last year when they had an impasse with the front office for months. However, the holder of the leverage is no longer them, but the team.
Philly drafting Labaron Philon Jr. with the 22nd overall pick only gives the 76ers brain trust even more arm strength to control Grimes' free agency situation. Now, there is a growing sentiment that the team should opt to let him walk away in the open market instead, highlighting the fact that the incoming rookie can provide what the 26-year-old brought to the table in the recently concluded season.
Grimes will have suitors in free agency, so he is not completely helpless in negotiating with the 76ers. That being said, there are not a lot of compelling reasons for the front office to take on an even more aggressive stance in terms of trying to keep him in the fold. Heck, a passive attitude in this regard makes more sense now.
The 76ers now hold more leverage than before with Quentin Grimes after the draft
Make no mistake –– Grimes remains a vital player for the 76ers. This team, after all, had the fourth-lowest scoring bench among all clubs in the 2025-26 campaign, making the think piece of cutting ties with their nominal sixth man a very risky proposition.
Be that as it may, his importance cannot be equated to sheer indispensability. On an individual level, Grimes did not exactly enjoy a particularly notable season. He turned in just 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game despite seeing the floor for nearly 30 minutes a night. He also canned just 33.4 percent from three-point range, which is certainly not worth writing home about.
With Philon coming in as someone projected to be an NBA-ready scorer, the need for Grimes is watered down. That is more so the case since the money they could use to bring Grimes back can be spent on cheaper alternatives –– both direct replacements and players who play a different position but can reduce some of the redundancy in the backcourt.
The Quentin Grimes experience has been a mixed bag for the 76ers, although his current post is not something to be taken lightly. Having said that, this team is more equipped than before to stomach the possibility of letting him go, especially after the 2026 NBA Draft.
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