With every addition to the injury report, the Philadelphia 76ers’ championship hopes dwindled. The team was looking for players just to field a team on a nightly basis. In doing so, they have stumbled upon a possible star in Quentin Grimes, who was traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Sixers on Feb. 8 in exchange for veteran Caleb Martin. Before being traded to Philadelphia, Grimes was already having a career season, averaging 10.2 points per game on a career-high 39.2% from beyond the arc.

A team that has widely been bashed for trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis and second-round draft picks arguably might have made a worse trade two days later. Grimes has averaged more points than Davis since the trade deadline, who was the crown jewel return in the Doncic trade.

Everything changed after Grimes opened up the month of March with a 44-point performance against Stephen Curry and the Warriors. Since then, Grimes has had the best month of his NBA career. He was nominated for Eastern Conference player of the month, but that honor ultimately went to Chicago Bulls guard Coby White. 

During that time frame, Grimes averaged:

• 26.6 points per game (10th in NBA during that span)

• 5.1 assists per game

• 4.8 rebounds per game

• 2.1 steals per game

• 50.4 field goal percentage

• 40.3 three-point percentage

He also had ten games with 25 plus points and seven with five or more assists.

Grimes has been so good to the point that fans have been asking on social media if the Sixers could bench him. This is to help them lose games to secure a top draft pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

He’s even scored 40 or more points twice in March in a Sixers uniform. To put this in perspective, Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and Paul George combined for only one, with Simmons going for a career-high 42 points against the Utah Jazz back in 2021.

Are these numbers just a byproduct of opportunity on a losing and injury-riddled team? Has Grimes had this ability but was disguised as a role player? I believe it’s closer to the latter.

The 24-year-old has showcased real potential to look highly of.

Since his arrival in Philadelphia, Grimes has been used in an assortment of roles that include on-ball scorer, playmaker, and top defender. Arguably, the most impressive part of this successful run, Grimes has succeeded highly while being at the top of the defensive game plans on a game-to-game basis. His biggest growth has been his ability to create a shot with the ball. He’s been used as an off-ball scorer dating back to his rookie season. Since his arrival, Grimes has shown the ability to carry an offense and get buckets. His ability to play off-ball and his quick release allow him to play with anyone; if there was any doubt, he couldn’t play with star players.

Something more impressive than his offensive growth is his ability to maintain his defensive impact. Players given a larger role on offense have typically declined defensively, like Mikal Bridges once he left the Phoenix Suns. Grimes has been able to sustain his defensive impact while expending a lot of energy on the other end. His effort, smart gambles, and great hands have helped him to average over two steals a game in March.

The only concern is that his level of play has put him in a grey area when it comes to contract this summer. It only takes one team to offer close to 30 million, which might be too much of an ask for the Sixers. With him being a restricted free agent and the Sixers having his bird rights, there should be no excuse from Philadelphia if it’s in the 15-20 million dollar range.

This outburst from Grimes has forced the hand of the Sixers to re-sign him. They have the control to do that with him as a restricted free agent. His growth as a player remains to be seen, and paying him for the next three to four years going into his prime is a smart business decision for the Sixers organization. Grimes is a bigger guard who can slide to small forward in small-ball lineups. Most importantly, he adds to the youth of the backcourt alongside Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and newcomer Jared Butler. 

In a season of lows, the highs of getting a young, above-average role player in Grimes is a bright spot to hang your head on for the Sixers going into the offseason.

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