After months of negotiations, deliberations, and agonizing indecision, Quentin Grimes has finally returned to the Philadephia 76ers. Grimes accepted his qualifying offer, thus ensuring he'll spend the 2025-26 season with the 76ers before entering unrestricted free agency in 2026.
In the process, Grimes saved Philadelphia from going through the 2025-26 season without the size, perimeter shooting, and versatility they need along the wings.
At least 80 percent of the 76ers' starting lineup appears etched in stone, with Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe sharing the backcourt, and Paul George and Joel Embiid anchoring the frontcourt. Injuries and availability will go a long way toward deciding how often that quartet shares the court, but their potential is unavoidable.
Embiid is an MVP, George is a five-time All-NBA honoree, and Maxey is an All-Star, while Edgecombe is one of the most vaunted prospects to emerge from the 2025 NBA Draft.
Many have questioned who the fifth starter will be, but now that he's been signed, Grimes appears to be a frontrunner. He started 25 of his 28 appearances with the 76ers in 2024-25 and offers a combination of size, shooting, and two-way potential that the team would've otherwise struggled to identify.
There are a number of players on the roster with untapped potential, but Grimes gives Philadelphia its best shot at creating a coherent and reliable starting lineup.
Quentin Grimes offers the size and shooting 76ers need in starting 5
Philadelphia could potentially start second-year guard Jared McCain once he returns from the UCL tear he recently suffered in his right thumb. Their backcourt combination in that situation, however, would be Maxey, 6'2", and McCain, 6'3"—and neither player is known for their defense.
Edgecombe projects to be an excellent defender and George is one of the best defensive wings of his era, but there's only so much a rookie and a 35-year-old veteran can be expected to cover up.
Kelly Oubre Jr. is another option to start, but he's a career 29.3 percent shooter from beyond the arc on a team that already has reason to question how efficient Edgecombe can be as a rookie. Oubre will certainly get run with the starters, but his inefficiency from three-point range makes him a questionable fit as a full-time member of the starting five.
There's an intriguing case to giving an opportunity to Justin Edwards, Jabari Walker, or Trendon Watford, but their inexperience in high-volume roles suggests patience is a better option.
That ultimately leaves Grimes as the best choice to avoid the construction of a starting lineup that lacks ideal size and shooting along the wings. He measured at 6'5.25" without shoes at the 2021 NBA Draft Combine and boasts a strong 210-pound frame and a 6'8" wingspan.
More importantly: Grimes is a career 37.5 percent three-point shooter whose breakout campaign with the 76ers in 2024-25 may be more sustainable than it seems.
76ers' alternate options for starting 5 lack size, experience, or shooting
In 28 appearances with the 76ers, Grimes averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 2.9 three-point field goals made on .469/.373/.752 shooting. For what it's worth: He boasts an eerily similar career slash line of .444/.375/.763 and posted full-season averages of 19.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.9 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes in 75 games.
With this in mind, there's at least some reason to believe he can produce in a similar manner in 2025-26 as he did with the 76ers in 2024-25.
Whether or not that comes to fruition, the bottom line is that he's been an effective three-point shooter throughout his career. He's buried at least 38.1 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc in three of his four seasons, and has twice played upward of 35 percent of his minutes at small forward.
With positional versatility, ideal size and strength for a modern wing, and the shooting touch to thrive both with and without the ball, Grimes is the missing piece from Philadelphia's starting lineup.