The first restricted free agent domino fell on Thursday when Cam Thomas signed the $6 million qualifying offer to return to the Brooklyn Nets. The final weeks of 2025 free agency have been held up by Thomas and three other restricted free agents who are looking for bigger deals.
One of those players is Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes. Acquired from the Dallas Mavericks at the deadline, Grimes put on a show with the Sixers averaging 21.9 points and and scoring over 40 on two separate occasions. The Sixers will look to bring him back in an effort to play at a much faster pace in the upcoming season.
Advertisement
Negotiations between Grimes and the Sixers have clearly gone nowhere as both sides appear headed to the qualifying offer–much like Thomas and the Nets. There were reports that Grimes was looking for somewhere around $25 million per year, but him getting that type of number is unlikely at this point of the free agency period.
Therefore, Grimes will likely sign his own qualifying offer with the Sixers which, for him, is worth $8.5 million. What the qualifying offer will do is allow him to be an unrestricted free agent in 2026 and he can sign a deal anywhere without the chances of the Sixers matching the deal. The deal would also give him a no-trade clause which would make it tough for Philadelphia to flip him–if it wanted to–at the deadline.
Grimes is an important piece for what the Sixers want to do. They need depth and versatility and he offers both while being only 25 years old so he offers younger help as well. He can score in isolation, can knock down catch-and-shoot opportunities and will be able to fill a role next to the team’s star trio if given the chance.
When considering the free agency market has essentially dried up, the Sixers will likely see Grimes in a Sixers uniform.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: What does Cam Thomas signing QO mean for Quentin Grimes, Sixers?