The Philadelphia 76ers haven’t been involved in many moves this offseason. However, with training camp around the corner, Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer expects that to change. With the need to clear cap space to retain Quentin Grimes, Fischer claims that the 76ers will be exploring trade options for veteran players on their roster. He said:
“There has been buzz all summer long about the Sixers looking to potentially move one of, if not both, Andre Drummond and Kelly Oubre. If they are able to find a deal for one of those two guys as we get closer to camp, that would open up some more wiggle room for Philadelphia to be able to pay Grimes a little bit more.”
At the current juncture, there has been little information regarding the discussions between Philadelphia’s front office and Grimes. Although the expectation has been that the team will retain him, there hasn’t been an estimate regarding a contract figure that would suit both parties.
Like most restricted free agents this summer, Grimes has also been in a tough spot with his team. With the luxury tax aprons acting as a barricade, teams have been hesitant to offer large, multi-year contracts to players. This has resulted in frustration on both sides.
If the consensus is to be considered the baseline, Grimes could demand an annual salary of $30 million, much like the other restricted free agents this summer. But this may not be the case either.
Grimes is coming off his rookie contract, a four-year, $11.1 million deal. When considering this figure, it is unlikely for the guard to fetch an annual salary amounting to $30 million since he hasn’t met the necessary criteria for a max extension.
In this regard, the 76ers may have some flexibility to discuss and formulate a deal that benefits them and interests the young guard as well.
Facilitating trades for either Andre Drummond or Kelly Oubre Jr. could prove to be vital in this process. With both players exercising their player options, Philadelphia saw $13.4 million added to its salary cap.
Currently, the 76ers are approximately $11 million under the first apron. Should they succeed in trading either Drummond or Oubre, the 76ers could free up anywhere between $5 million-$8.4 million in salary, allowing them to present a much more competitive offer to Grimes while remaining under the first tax apron.
Philadelphia’s inclination to retain the guard is also justified. Although he had a slow start to the 2024-25 season coming off the bench for the Dallas Mavericks, the 25-year-old emerged as a reliable offensive threat once he joined the 76ers.
In 28 games for Philadelphia, Grimes started in 25. The guard made the most of this opportunity, as he averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on 46.9% shooting overall and 37.3% from three-point range.
Although the 76ers’ current backcourt depth may not present the young guard with the same opportunities as the previous campaign, there is certainly a chance for him to be relevant.
Philadelphia’s desire to retain Grimes has been noted, but they may not have as much time to make a move. Considering that he has until Oct. 1 to sign his $8.7 million qualifying offer, the 76ers would be advised to extend and agree upon an offer with him before the window closes or another team shows reinvigorated trade interest.
