Dec 15, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers resident of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey speaks with the media before a game against the Detroit Pistons at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Daryl Morey Offers Positive Outlook on Sixers' Free-Agent Saga

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Kevin McCormick | Last updated Sep 27, 2025 7:12 AM ET

Things are back in full swing for the Philadelphia 76ers, as they rang in the 2025-26 season with media day on Friday morning. The vast majority of the team held an introductory press conference, but there was one notable absence.

All summer, the Sixers have had one main ongoing storyline. That being Quentin Grimes and his restricted free agency. After putting together an impressive stretch upon joining the Sixers at the deadline, the former first-round pick found himself in line for a new deal.

It ended up being a tough summer for restricted free agents across the board, not just Grimes. Due to the fact that a new deal hasn't surfaced yet, Grimes opted not to partake in media day. He also won't be traveling with the team to Abu Dhabi for their overseas preseason matchups.

Grimes took the city by storm upon coming over from the Dallas Mavericks. Across his 28 games post-trade, he averaged 21.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 4.5 APG while shooting 37.3% from beyond the arc.

While they usually kick things off, Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse were two of the last people to speak at Sixers media day. As expected, the longtime fielded questions about the ongoing saga with Grimes. League rules prohibit Morey from getting too deep into detail, but he is maintaining a positive outlook on the situation.

"I will say I think we will get to a resolution in the next few days hopefully," Morey said. "We're excited to bring him back. Quentin is a big part of what we're trying to do now and into the future if we can get things resolved."

Grimes won't be the same kind of player he was for the Sixers last season, but he can still provide a huge boost for the roster. He is someone capable of providing secondary scoring and ballhandling off the bench, along with being a complementary three-and-D guard to the big three.

In light of recent developments, the Sixers' urgency to get things worked out with Grimes has reached new heights. Now that Jared McCain is expected to miss time with a thumb injury, they need him back to solidify the team's backcourt depth.

Only time will tell if Grimes settles for the qualifying offer or if the two sides can work out a new contract for him.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia 76ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: