A prolific talent seeking to reclaim his breakout form, Grimes offers Chicago intriguing versatility if he can carve out meaningful minutes in a jam-packed rotation.
Quentin Grimes may be one of the more interesting free agents on the market because he is still easy to talk yourself into.
That is why the Chicago Bulls make sense as a possible landing spot.
PhillyVoice recently listed Chicago as one of the teams that could pursue Grimes, and the logic is understandable. The Bulls have cap space, a need for young contributors, and a roster that could use another bigger guard who can play on and off the ball. Grimes fits that description in theory.
The question is whether Chicago would give him enough room to rediscover the version of himself that made him so intriguing in Philadelphia.
Grimes’ first stretch with the Sixers created real expectations. After arriving from Dallas, he averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 28 games. He looked like more than a role player. He attacked closeouts, hit pull-up jumpers, defended with energy and gave Philadelphia a level of shot creation it badly needed during a disaster of a season.
That version of Grimes looked like a player with a very bright future.
This season was different.
Grimes averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists, still useful numbers, but not close to the breakout production he showed during his first run with the Sixers. His three-point shooting also slipped. After hitting 38.5 percent of his threes in 2024-25, he dropped to 33.4 percent this season, the worst mark of his NBA career.
Grimes’ value depends heavily on his ability to space the floor. He is not a point guard, and he is not good enough as a shot creator to carry lineups by himself. If the jumper is falling, his defense, size and secondary ball-handling become much easier to appreciate. If the shot is inconsistent, the rest of his game has to do more work to compensate.
There were also stretches where Grimes simply did not seem as connected in Philadelphia. He could look passive, detached or slow to make decisions with the ball. Some of that may have been role-related. With Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe established as the backcourt priorities, Grimes was no longer positioned to be a featured piece.
That is where a fresh start could help.
In Chicago, Grimes would have a chance to flip the narrative around him. He would not need to become a star. He would need to defend, make open threes, attack bent defenses and provide another ball-handling option next to Josh Giddey. The Bulls could use someone with his size and two-way tools, especially if they want to keep building a younger, more flexible roster.
But the fit is not without complications.
Chicago already has a lot of guard and wing depth. Giddey remains the main ball-handler. Tre Jones, Rob Dillingham, Collin Sexton and Anfernee Simons are all part of the backcourt picture, while Isaac Okoro, Matas Buzelis, Leonard Miller and Patrick Williams factor into the wing and forward mix.
Grimes needs a new environment, but he also needs a clear role. If Chicago signs him only to make him one piece in a crowded rotation, the same issues that hurt him in Philadelphia could follow him there. He cannot just be another guard waiting for touches. He needs rhythm, defensive responsibility and enough offensive freedom to stay engaged, without that, he would be stuck in the same situation he is currently in.
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