The offseason was a challenging one for restricted free agents like Quentin Grimes. However, after accepting the qualifying offer with the Philadelphia 76ers, the 25-year-old guard finds himself in a unique position to embrace the role of a starter, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey.
Pompey addressed the possibility of Quentin Grimes being promoted to the starting rotation on the “Locked On 76ers” podcast. While acknowledging the team’s current guard depth, marked by the absence of Jared McCain, he noted:
“I think the plan for him is to get him up to speed as soon as possible. Hopefully, ideally, you’d love for him to play in Friday’s preseason game, because when we look at it, they’ll only have Tuesday practice, Wednesday practice, Thursday practice, and then we play the game.”
Pompey referred to how the 76ers would want to give more “reps” to a player like VJ Edgecombe, especially if the franchise views this campaign as a “lost season”.
“For a guy like Quentin Grimes, when you look at VJ, when you look at Tyrese Maxey, and the fact that Jared McCain isn’t out there,” Pompey continued, “Quentin is a guy that you want to get out there and get as many reps as possible as well.”
The Sixers insider pointed to Grimes’ inherent skills that made him a solid candidate to earn a spot in the starting lineup. Given his reliable ball-handling ability and perimeter shooting, he is positioned to be a secondary playmaker behind Tyrese Maxey, effectively taking pressure off the star guard.
“With that being said, the plan for me is to get him out there with Maxey, because remember what Nick Nurse always said about him is that we do look at him as an additional ball-handler, perhaps the backup point guard,” Pompey added. “So I can see him right now as the starting two. But I can also see him, when they start staggering things, that he gets a lot of the starting point guard role and then VJ is playing off of him at the two.”
Pompey’s statement on the matter presents an interesting outlook for Philadelphia. Although losing McCain is a major blow to their backcourt rotation, having a player like Quentin Grimes at their disposal will prove to be quite valuable.
Last season, the 25-year-old made a mark after joining the team, especially in the capacity of a starter when the team was hobbled by injuries. In 28 games for the 76ers, Grimes averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, shooting 46.9% from the field and 37.3% from three-point range.
Considering his skill set, having him play as a secondary playmaker and an outside threat could have some merit for the 76ers. When factoring in Edgecombe’s development this season, having Quentin Grimes take some pressure off the rookie could be worthwhile.
The greater concern for Philadelphia remains its approach to the season. While a healthy 76ers roster could realistically be competitive in the East, constant injuries, primarily to the star duo of Joel Embiid and Paul George, could derail their campaign. In this regard, committing to one direction could become a necessity.
The 76ers will be heading into their next preseason game against the Orlando Magic on Friday, Oct. 10, at the Xfinity Mobile Arena at 7:00 p.m. EDT. With Quentin Grimes expected to be in the starting rotation, the franchise will note how well he fits next to the current backcourt.
