76ers' Quentin Grimes Linked to Eastern Conference Free Agency Destination

Quentin Grimes may need a fresh start.

That does not mean his time with the Philadelphia 76ers was a failure. Grimes is still a useful NBA player, and his numbers show that. He averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists this season, giving Philadelphia real rotation production in a role that was not always easy to define.

But there were also stretches where the fit felt awkward.

Grimes did not always look fully engaged in Philadelphia. At times, his energy seemed inconsistent, and the presence of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe squeezed his role. Grimes is not a player comfortable simply standing in the corner; he wants the ball in his hands to feel involved in the game and have a clear rhythm. 

That is why the Milwaukee Bucks are an interesting potential landing spot.

PhillyVoice recently listed Milwaukee as one of the teams that could make sense for Grimes in free agency, and the logic is easy to understand. The Bucks are in a strange position. If Giannis Antetokounmpo stays, they need more players who can handle the ball, shoot enough to survive next to him, and take pressure off the offense. If Giannis eventually leaves, they need younger players who can become useful assets during a retooling.

Grimes is capable of fitting both timelines. 

Next to Giannis, Grimes would give Milwaukee a bigger guard who can play on and off the ball. He is not a true point guard, but he is capable of initiating offense in stretches, making simple reads, and attacking when defenses tilt too much attention toward a star. That has value for a Bucks team that has often needed another perimeter player who can keep possessions alive when Giannis is walled off.

Grimes has already shown he can be more than a low-usage role player. During his first stretch with Philadelphia after arriving from Dallas, he looked like a legitimate three-level scorer. He had games where he attacked the rim, hit pull-up jumpers, made threes, and looked comfortable creating for himself. That version of Grimes is worth betting on.

The question is consistency.

Grimes’ production dipped this season compared to the flashes he showed after first arriving in Philadelphia. That is part of why his free agency is complicated. Teams would be paying for the possibility that a new environment and larger role can unlock more of what he showed in brief stretches.

Milwaukee could be that environment.

If Giannis stays, Grimes would have a chance to play meaningful minutes next to one of the league’s most dominant players. If Giannis leaves, Grimes could get more on-ball opportunities without the pressure of being a primary star, just like his early stint with the Sixers. Either way, the Bucks could view him as a worthwhile investment.

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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected].