Sixers Rival 'Most Likely' to Make Gamble Over Quentin Grimes

Jake Fischer of ‘The Stein Line’ didn’t rank the RFAs’ chances of taking the qualifying offer, but if he did, he would probably put Cam Thomas at the top of the list.

“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,” Fischer wrote in his latest.

“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.”

Over the past couple of seasons, Cam Thomas has been one of the most polarizing players in the NBA. After he averaged roughly 10 points per game through his first two seasons, Thomas became a 20-plus-point scorer in the following two years.

Many have argued that he didn’t do it with a ton of efficiency, and his points came from empty scoring on a bad team. Throughout his four-year career, Thomas has averaged 44 percent from the field and 35 percent from three.

Two seasons ago, the Nets missed postseason action with a 32-50 record. Last year, they regressed and finished with a 25-56 record. Thomas struggled to stay healthy and appeared in just 25 games. He averaged 24 points, three rebounds, and four assists, marking career highs across the board.

The Nets don’t seem totally sold on Thomas’ long-term value as they are in the midst of a rebuilding phase. There is a real chance Thomas exits the Atlantic Division after the 2025-2026 NBA season.

Quentin Grimes Falls in a Similar Category

The Sixers are still confident they’ll get Grimes back on a multi-year deal. The team acquired the veteran at the 2025 trade deadline in a swap with the Dallas Mavericks. Philadelphia moved off Caleb Martin, who was older and injured, for a young Grimes, who put together an All-Star-caliber stretch in Philadelphia.

Similar to Thomas, many wonder if Grimes’ production was a product of the Sixers playing meaningless ball while shorthanded. Without Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George on the court, Grimes moved way up the pecking order.

In 28 games, Grimes averages 22 points, five rebounds, and five assists.

Logic would suggest Grimes might struggle to have an All-Star campaign on a team that carries three expensive stars, who expect to take up a lot of the usage on offense. Still, Grimes has a lot of value as a role player.

While the Sixers might not be willing to meet Grimes at his reported original ask, they are still very much interested in striking a long-term deal, rather than heading into next year’s free agency with another big question mark.

Any team could reach out to Grimes with an offer right now, but the Sixers have the power to match it. At this point, it seems to be Philadelphia or bust for Grimes—and Brooklyn or bust for Thomas.