If the Brooklyn Nets are serious about getting out of NBA purgatory, it is time for them to stop playing nice and start stealing from the neighbors. Quentin Grimes isn’t just a solid pickup, he’s the perfect guy to light a fire under a team stuck in neutral. And ripping him from the hands of the 76ers? Well...that would just be a bonus.
Here’s where it gets juicy:
Grimes is a restricted free agent, and the 76ers might not be able to afford him. Between big-money deals already clogging their books and a top-3 pick coming in, Philly’s flexibility is toast. Brooklyn? They’re sitting on a mountain of cap space and nothing but time. While other teams are window-shopping, the Nets should be making real moves. This is their chance to make a move that actually shifts the rebuild in a real direction, giving their fans something to actually cheer about.
He’s coming off the best stretch of his career in Philly, dropping 22 a night, occasionally dropping 40 burgers, stuffing the stat sheet, and showing he’s not just some 3&D role guy. He looked like a future All-Star, plain and simple. And he did it on a Sixers team held together by duct tape and glue sticks while Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and half the rotation sat out.
Some people will say his numbers were just inflated because he had a role on a skeleton crew and it was only a small sample size of good basketball. And yeah, to be honest that is a fair worry to have. But here’s the thing, every breakout has to start somewhere. Sometimes, all a player needs is opportunity. It’s not about whether the stretch came in ideal circumstances. It’s about what he did with it. And Grimes took full advantage of his opportunity and exploded onto the scene. Come on, let's be real, you don’t just stumble into 40-point games in the NBA. You earn them.
Plus, the Nets are in no position to get picky about “sample size.” They need talent. They need energy. And they need players hungry to prove something. Grimes checks every box, and he’s still just 25. That’s exactly the type of upside swing rebuilding teams are supposed to make.
Does Grimes fit the team?
There could be some worries that Grimes won’t be a good fit because Cam Thomas already owns that “bucket-getter” role. The thing is, he is more than just someone who knows how to put the ball in the hoop. Grimes has shown flashes as a playmaker, can defend multiple spots, and gives Brooklyn a legit two-way threat they don’t currently have.
Take the risk
Grimes might not be a sure thing. But he’s a bet worth making. High ceiling, still young, and has some serious momentum heading into free agency. Take the risk. Make the offer. And let the Sixers watch their breakout guard walk across towards a division rival wearing Nets black.