Quentin Grimes Signs One-Year $8.7M Qualifying Offer

Quentin Grimes has signed the Philadelphia 76ers' one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer for 2025–26, which includes an inherent no-trade clause and will make him an unrestricted free agent in 2026. The move ends a protracted restricted free‑agency stalemate after Grimes' camp sought significantly more annual pay than the shorter, lower-cost proposals the Sixers were willing to commit amid a messy offseason roster context. Grimes, 25, emerged as a key offensive weapon after his midseason trade to Philadelphia — averaging roughly 21–22 points, about five rebounds and four assists across a 28-game stretch and posting a career-high 46-point game — which gives him leverage entering next summer. Sixers president Daryl Morey expressed a desire to keep him, but the front office prioritized roster flexibility over a substantial long-term contract. By taking the qualifying offer Grimes is betting on himself and positioning to pursue a larger contract in the deeper 2026 free-agent market.