Quentin Grimes arrived at the Philadelphia 76ers from the Dallas Mavericks during the 2024–25 season with little expected of him, but a string of strong offensive performances quickly made retaining him a top offseason priority for Daryl Morey. Envisioned as a key scoring spark off the bench, Grimes opened the season much like he finished the last, only to cool off significantly and expose his limitations as a secondary option incapable of consistently elevating those around him.
Grimes has quickly fallen off this season
Things started so positively this year for Grimes, and the decision to retain his services seemed like a masterstroke from Philadelphia's general manager. Throughout October and November, the 25-year-old averaged a sensational 17.2 points, 4.1 assists, and four rebounds per game from the bench, leading many to believe he was a prime candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year award if those statistics remained consistent.
Alas, they did not. While the numbers did not plummet, Quentin Grimes struggled to maintain the significant scoring from this impact role, which was a major contributor to the 76ers ranking 27th overall in bench points per game (32.4). Of course, the blame should not lie solely at the door of Grimes; however, he was the player Philadelphia imagined could play this role to perfection, and he is now proving how wrong they were at the worst possible time.
Philadelphia requires more impact from Grimes against the Knicks
With Joel Embiid out of action and Tyrese Maxey swiftly running out of steam, the Philadelphia 76ers need a player to grab this series by the scruff of the neck. Grimes must embrace the responsibility and show he can be that guy. The Sixers' offense needs to become more dynamic, more versatile, and more difficult to guard. For this to happen, Grimes cannot continue his limp performances from the bench.
While the former Knicks sharpshooter has been credited for his defensive efforts, the real reason Morey wanted him to return for another year was to plug the scoring from a less prominent role, which he has yet to do during the postseason. Grimes is averaging 6.9 points and 2.6 assists over his nine playoff appearances for Philadelphia. More worryingly, he is only recording 5.1 field goal attempts per game.
Now, the lack of involvement in the offense may not be entirely Grimes' fault; 76ers head coach Nick Nurse is most likely prioritizing Tyrese Maxey's shooting abilities and riding Paul George's hot hand as he looks for a way to defeat his Eastern Conference rivals. This only reinforces what Philadelphia should have already known about Grimes: without a prominent offensive role, he struggles to consistently make a positive impact on games.
As it stands, the Philadelphia 76ers are heading to Cancun at the hands of the New York Knicks. Luck, momentum, and fitness levels are not on the struggling franchise's side. Daryl Morey spent his summer break chasing a player who is failing to deliver on the NBA's biggest stage. Hindsight is a wonderful concept, but the Sixers should have anticipated that when Grimes' offensive role was significantly reduced, he would struggle to have the same impact as he did last season.
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