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Quentin Grimes Rumors
Cam Thomas signing one-year, $6 million qualifying offer to return to Brooklyn
Restricted free agent Cam Thomas is signing a one-year, $6 million qualifying offer to return to the Brooklyn Nets, sources told ESPN on Thursday. The Nets were unable to reach a long-term deal with Thomas, so the 23-year-old high-scoring guard opted for the qualifying offer that gives him a full no-trade clause and sets him for unrestricted free agency next summer with at least 10 teams set to have cap space. Thomas is the first among the final restricted free agents in the NBA to land on a decision (including the Chicago Bulls' Josh Giddey, Golden State Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga, Philadelphia 76ers' Quentin Grimes). Thomas is only the fifth former first-round pick to sign a qualifying offer since 2017.
Cam Thomas the likeliest restricted free agent to accept qualifying offer
The Nets' Cam Thomas might be the most likely of the four notable restricted free agents out there — along with Giddey, Kuminga and Philadelphia's Quentin Grimes — to take the bet-on-yourself option and accept his qualifying offer. Brooklyn has not made an aggressive effort to retain Thomas on any long-term deal, sources say. Sources also say Thomas is showing an increasing interest in playing out next season on a $6 million qualifier for the right to enjoy true free agency next summer.
The Sixers continue to express confidence that they will re-sign Grimes despite the stalemate there. My read is that the sides will ultimately see sufficient mutual benefit in a new deal to hash out something that starts above Grimes' $8.7 million qualifying offer. That said ... The Sixers are clearly in no rush to strike such an agreement with Grimes, like his fellow RFAs, unable to generate an offer sheet because no team other than Brooklyn has the salary cap space to present one. Which means Grimes has his own thinking to do about taking the qualifying offer himself.
Jack Fischer: I can absolutely say that the Sixers—various people in the organization when asked—keep saying that Quentin Grimes is their top priority. And that they are going to bring Quentin Grimes back, it's just a matter of dollars and cents. There is some buzz of him taking the qualifying offer too.
Others who suggested salaries lower than the midlevel exception mentioned market conditions as to why Grimes, a strong on-ball defender and 3-point sniper even at his worst, may not receive a salary commensurate with his end-of-season numbers. “The way the cap (environment) is now, why would you spend $20 million on Quentin Grimes when you can get (Bucks guard) Gary Trent (Jr.) for a minimum?” said one executive, who proposed a three-year, $40 million contract for Grimes. “We shouldn’t just sign young players because they’re young. … You’ve got to believe Grimes is gonna develop into your starting backcourt with (Tyrese) Maxey.”
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“There are not many Swiss Army knife wings out there that score it as efficiently, defend, pass or rebound like he does,” said the front-office staffer who suggested the four-year, $75 million contract. “He might not be elite at any one thing, but (he’s) very good at a lot of them.”
Quentin Grimes: You have to stay ready and keep preparing yourself. I was in the gym every night—getting my shots, getting treatment, watching guys like Kyrie and Klay—how they take care of their bodies, how they get up extra shots before and after practice. How disciplined they are with their routines—that really focused me. It changed my mindset. I knew opportunities were going to come, and I had to be ready for them.
Mavs' coaches had no hard feelings Quentin Grimes was traded
Tim MacMahon: But I'm just telling you, there were Mavericks coaches who were not happy with another trade that the team made and weren’t shy to let me know about it. None of the Mavericks coaches were upset about the Grimes-for-Martin trade. They didn’t really value Grimes long-term, which is a long-winded way of saying: if he’s getting something around the mid-level, I think that would be a good deal for him.
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Daryl Morey on Quentin Grimes: 'We hope to work things out'
Morey referred to an eventual solution with Grimes as the last piece of business the Sixers needed to get settled this summer. He was not willing to divulge many details about the team's ongoing negotiations with Grimes, other than... negotiations remain ongoing. "We hope to work things out," Morey said. "I don't have more detail."
Edgecombe’s ability to do that is the reason one scout believes he is better than restricted free agent Quentin Grimes, who’s seeking $25 million per season. One scout said Edgecombe can replicate what Grimes brings on the defensive end and compared the rookie to a young Victor Oladipo. He noted how Oladipo worked on his shot and blossomed into a two-time All-Star before injuries set in. Edgecombe doesn’t strike the scout as someone who is complacent about his game.
Kelly Iko: To this point, there has been little to no movement with restricted free agent guard Quentin Grimes and the Philadelphia 76ers, league sources tell myself and @Tjonesonthenba . The two sides are hoping to continue communication in the coming days.
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