Sixers, Quentin Grimes Nearing Resolution on Contract Standoff

Quentin Grimes, a restricted free agent guard, remains unsigned by the Philadelphia 76ers as training camp and media day approach, with contract negotiations at an impasse primarily over salary expectations. The Sixers have offered Grimes a four-year contract worth $39 million, but his agent argues he deserves between $20 million to $25 million annually, highlighting a significant gap in valuation. Currently, Grimes has two short-term offers: a one-year qualifying offer at $8.7 million with a full no-trade clause, or a slightly higher one-year "balloon payment" deal that requires waiving the no-trade protection. The 76ers prefer to secure Grimes on a long-term deal, but with a crowded guard rotation including Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and rookie VJ Edgecombe, they are not inclined to overpay. Grimes has not attended team media day or training camp, signaling the ongoing tension, and although his camp requested an extension to the Oct. 1 deadline for accepting the qualifying offer, the Sixers are expected to reject it. If Grimes accepts the qualifying offer, he would become an unrestricted free agent in 2026, potentially betting on himself for a larger contract next year, though the current standoff reflects both sides' strategic caution amid Philadelphia's salary cap constraints.