In a Bleacher Report article, Quentin Grimes was selected to be apart of the Las Vegas Expansion team, how would he impact this hypothetical team?
In a recent Bleacher Report mock expansion draft, the idea of an NBA team in Las Vegas offered an interesting glimpse into what a new roster would look like.
One of the names selected was 76ers guard Quentin Grimes, a player whose skillset could make him productive for a team that is starting from nothing.
Although Grimes is known for his 3&D capabilities, this season, he has been a player who has done better from within the arc than beyond it. Grimes is shooting 32% from the three-point line this season, down from his career percentage of 36%. However, he has been doing a great job attacking and finishing at the rim this season, as his 72.2 rim field goal percentile puts him in the 85th percentile of the league.
If Grimes could rediscover the shooting touch that made him a valuable player in the first place and combine that with his developed paint finishing, his scoring ceiling would increase dramatically.
A Vegas team with Grimes could prioritize versatility, ball movement, and quick-hitting offensive sets to get players open; these things would benefit Grimes and allow him to be at his absolute best. In a system like this, he could see increased opportunities, not as a primary offensive engine but as a solid supporting piece for a new team trying to find their bearings.
Defensivley Grimes has always been solid; he isn't someone you would call a stopper at that end, but when he is locked in and engaged, he has shown the ability to move well laterally, navigate screens, and be a pest for any player trying to score on him. The issue comes in his ability to consistently stay engaged on that end of the court; perhaps a new start on the West Coast would allow the guard to scale up his production on both sides of the court.
In a larger role, there is potential for growth. While he's been primarily used as a complementary piece, there have been flashes of on-the-ball scoring and decent playmaking skills. On a Vegas team with no defined hierarchy, Grimes could be given the chance to expand his role and take on more responsibility.
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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at dixonwesley286@gmail.com.