October 08, 2025
John Jones/Imagn Images
What came of Quentin Grimes' first media availability since accepting the Sixers' $8.7 million qualifying offer?
CAMDEN, N.J. – The last time Quentin Grimes addressed this group of reporters, he had just completed his worst two-game stretch within the best two-month period of basketball he had ever played. The day was April 13, and Grimes made only three of his 14 shot attempts after posting a 4-for-17 line in his prior appearance.
Grimes was battling shoulder and back injuries, but the Sixers needed him to play in order to reach the minimum eight available bodies. He was at peace, because in the several weeks preceding those games he established himself as a dynamic three-level scorer against NBA defenses.
After being acquired at the trade deadline from the Dallas Mavericks, Grimes ended up being the lone bright spot in a miserable last two months of the 2024-25 Sixers season. So, on April 13, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey shouted out the soon-to-be restricted free agent, highlighting that the team was positioned well to re-sign Grimes.
Nearly six months later, Grimes did indeed sign a contract with the Sixers. But instead of inking a multiyear deal to cement a long-term partnership, he accepted the one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer to ensure he could become an unrestricted free agent next offseason. Three months of slow and unproductive negotiations led to a poor result for all parties involved.
On Wednesday afternoon, Grimes completed his first practice with the team since it returned from a preseason trip to Abu Dhabi. In this edition of Sixers soundbites, everything Grimes had to say as he returns to Philadelphia:
• Grimes on how he is feeling after returning to town:
"I've been great. I've been great. Got the first couple of practices out of the way, it's been good seeing all the guys, competing hard the last couple days... I'm happy to be here."
• Grimes on what he was able to do physically while unsigned over the summer and what condition he is in now:
"I went down to [University of Houston]. If y'all know anything about Coach [Kelvin] Sampson, I was in pretty good shape down there working out with the guys and competing down there in some live action. But this was my first time really going up and down five-on-five. But I feel like I'm in great shape. Coach Sampson had me doing some pretty good conditioning down there."
• Grimes on the toughest part of his restricted free agency:
"Probably just the waiting process. This is a business. I know that. It’s the NBA. There’s things you can’t control and stuff like that. Contracts and stuff like that, but I kept up with the guys like Tyrese [Maxey] and Trendon [Watford], [Eric Gordon], Kelly [Oubre Jr.]. We have a pretty close-knit group of guys checking in on me. I wanted to be back, so I’m happy to be here right now, for sure."
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• Grimes on if he holds any ill will toward the Sixers after the negotiations were unsuccessful:
"No, not at all. I’m here to play basketball. I try to control what I can control and that’s how hard I go in the gym, preparation-wise, working out my body, and I leave [contractual matters] up to my agent and the front office. Hopefully, I’ll be able to be back here longer. I wanted to be back here on a longer-term deal, but I’m happy to be here right now and do everything I can to help this team win."
• Grimes on how he can replicate his success from the end of last season moving forward:
"Talking to Coach [Nick] Nurse, talking to assistant coaches that’s letting me know I can come in, play my game, making shots. When I’m open, shoot it, being in attack mode all the time, and just going out there and making the right play. Make winning plays, make the right reads on offense, be whatever they need me to be. Going back to being the two-way guy whenever they need the two-way guy I know I can be. Just keep doing things, stacking days."
• Grimes on how he has tried to acclimate to the group since re-signing:
"We’ve got some new wrinkles on offense and stuff like that. I’m trying to get the terminology down just trying to get more reps in with the guys, learn the plays a little more. I was here for about two months last year, so we’ve got a whole new offense and I came here a little late, so just trying to get the reps in with the guys before practice, after practice, off days. I’ve been here since Saturday so [I’ve worked] Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. So just trying to get as many reps as I can."
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• Grimes on the Sixers' group of four talented young guards as he gets ready to share a backcourt with Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and VJ Edgecombe:
"I feel like we can just push the pace. That’s the name of the game right now: pushing the pace, a lot of shooting, go out there and try to push the pace as much as we can. Getting up and down, putting as much pressure on the defense as we can and we have a lot of guards who can attack the rim, make plays, make the right reads, a lot of shooting. So if we just play for each other, and try to help each other out as much as we can, everything will take care of itself."
• Grimes on what he did last season that he believes he can carry into the future:
"I think just being dynamic with the ball, catch and shoot, making plays off the dribble. I feel like I showed that stuff a little bit in Dallas. Here, it was kind of magnified a little bit more with the ball consistently in my hands. So just trying to keep up with that all summer, keeping up with my ball-handling, making the right reads off pick-and-roll. So I feel like just as a whole, I can carry that over into the season for sure."
