Quentin Grimes Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Execs Weigh In On Quentin Grimes’ Value

July 29th, 2025 at 1:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Having polled 16 front office sources around the NBA about what “fair” contracts for restricted free agents Jonathan Kuminga and Josh Giddey would look like, Fred Katz of The Athletic did the same for Quentin Grimes of the Sixers, another RFA who has been in a standoff with his team for the last several weeks.

According to Katz, 13 of the 16 respondents to his poll suggested annual salaries between $12MM and $16.7MM per year from Grimes, with one projection coming in lower ($10MM) and two going slightly higher (one $18MM and one $18.8MM). Eleven of the sources polled suggested a three-year deal for the 25-year-old, with four indicating they’d do four years and just one saying he’d do only two seasons.

The executive who was lowest on Grimes explained that he’d only be comfortable with $30MM over three years because he wasn’t swayed by the guard’s second-half scoring outburst for a banged-up Sixers team that was essentially in tanking mode.

Another exec, who said he’d do a three-year, $40MM contract, argued that it was hard to pay big-time money for a player like Grimes when a veteran with a similar skill set like Gary Trent Jr. signed for the minimum (Trent actually signed for a little more than the minimum, though the point stands).

Other participants in the poll were higher on Grimes, including one who expressed a level of comfort with a four-year, $75MM investment.

“There are not many Swiss Army knife wings out there that score it as efficiently, defend, pass or rebound like he does,” that staffer said. “He might not be elite at any one thing, but (he’s) very good at a lot of them.”

A number of respondents suggested a deal in the range of the mid-level, with one observing that something in the same “ballpark” as what Caris LeVert (two years, $28.9MM) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (four years, $60.6MM) got in terms of annual average value would make sense for Grimes.

“I like Quentin Grimes. He’s a very good player,” another exec said. “I would present him with two options: You can have a three-year, $48 million deal or a four-year, $60 million. … You say to him, ‘Do you want money or do you want longevity?’ And if he says both, you say, ‘We can’t offer both.'”

As we noted when we passed along the results of Katz’s polls on Kuminga and Giddey, these responses come with an important caveat — rival team executives, who will have their own contract negotiations to deal with going forward and don’t want the market to be set too high for their own guys, are more likely to take a conservative view when asked to project a player’s contract. The responses in a poll of 16 agents would almost certainly come in higher.

Still, with no indication that a rival suitor is positioning itself to make an aggressive play for Grimes, the Sixers have a good deal of leverage in the negotiations and will be motivated to keep the guard’s first-year salary at a manageable number. Philadelphia is currently operating a little below the luxury tax line and has roughly $21.7MM in wiggle room below the second tax apron, so bringing in Grimes for a lower number would help keep the club’s projected tax penalty in check and would open up more room for the front office to maneuver in apron territory.

Free Agent Notes: Thomas, Jazz, Kings, Westbrook, Boston

July 28th, 2025 at 1:42pm CST by Rory Maher

Reports have indicated there’s a significant gap in contract negotiations between restricted free agent guard Cam Thomas and the Nets, his incumbent team. As Grant Afseth of FastbreakJournal.com writes, Thomas doesn’t appear to have much leverage, with so few teams having the ability to sign him to an offer sheet that might give Brooklyn pause.

“He’s a talented scorer, but he’s kind of stuck in the middle right now. He wants star money, but a lot of teams see him more like a microwave scorer off the bench,” a veteran scout for a team who made last year’s playoffs told FastbreakJournal.com. “That disparity is what’s keeping him on the market.”

Echoing reporting from Jake Fischer, Afseth also states that Thomas seems “increasingly likely” to sign his $6MM qualifying offer, which would give him an implied no-trade clause and a chance to hit unrestricted free agency in 2026.

Here are a few more free agent items of interest:

League sources tell Afseth that the Jazz, who could theoretically make a run at a top restricted free agent using their $26.6MM trade exception, don’t appear to be interested in Thomas. However, rival teams believe Utah might be intrigued by another RFA who offers more versatility and defense. “If Utah uses that cap space, it’ll be for someone like Quentin Grimes, someone who can knock down threes and guard multiple positions, but still can create off the dribble,” an Eastern Conference executive told FastbreakJournal.com. “He’s also shown flashes as a scorer and play-maker in Philly. He’s shown he can grow into a more complete player in the right system. That’s a different type of bet than what you’re making on Thomas.” The Jazz wouldn’t be able to complete an offer sheet using a trade exception, but could make a sign-and-trade deal.
According to Matt George of ABC 10 Sacramento (Twitter link), the Kings and veteran guard Russell Westbrook continue to have mutual interest. However, George has heard that Sacramento would probably need to trade either Devin Carter or Malik Monk to make room in the backcourt for Westbrook, who remains an unrestricted free agent after declining his 2025/26 player option in June. The nine-time All-Star suited up for Denver last season.
Free agent wing Brandon Boston Jr. is in “advanced talks” with Greek EuroLeague club Panathinaikos, per Spurs reporter Dusty Garza (Twitter link; hat tip to Sportando). The 23-year-old guard/forward is coming off a solid season with New Orleans in which he averaged 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals in 23.6 minutes per contest, with all of those figures representing career highs. However, Boston was limited to just 42 games due to an ankle injury, which required surgery in April, and the Pelicans declined their team option on his contract for ’25/26, making him unrestricted.

Fischer’s Latest: RFAs, Smart, Vucevic, Brogdon

July 25th, 2025 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

In addition to sharing the latest updates on Nets guard Cam Thomas, NBA insider Jake Fischer checked in on the other three most notable remaining restricted free agents during his Bleacher Report live stream on Thursday, discussing Bulls guard Josh Giddey, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, and Sixers guard Quentin Grimes.

Fischer stated that he doesn’t expect there to be resolution on either Giddey or Grimes this month (YouTube link) and expressed a belief that Grimes, Kuminga, and Thomas will eventually agree to short-term deals with their respective teams rather than long-term contracts (YouTube link).

While that leaves Giddey as the most likely player of the quartet to work out a longer-term agreement, Fischer added that he thinks Giddey’s dynamic with the Bulls is the “most strained” of the bunch right now, due to how the negotiations have played out so far (YouTube link).

Here’s more from Fischer:

Before Marcus Smart agreed to a buyout with Washington and signed with the Lakers, the Wizards had “a ton” of trade discussions about the former Defensive Player of the Year, per Fischer (YouTube link). The Bucks, Hawks, and Heat were among the teams that spoke to the Wizards about possible deals involving Smart, according to Fischer, who says that Washington and Miami talked at one point about a trade that would’ve included Terry Rozier.
Responding to a question about the possibility of the Bulls trading Nikola Vucevic, Fischer stressed that there isn’t much of a market for the veteran center (YouTube link). “I think at this juncture, we’re probably more likely to see a Nikola Vucevic buyout mid-season than we are to see a trade,” Fischer said. “Depending on how the market unfolds, depending on how injuries develop. There just really hasn’t been much of a Nikola Vucevic trade market in a while.”
Fischer views the Timberwolves as perhaps the most logical landing spot for free agent guard Malcolm Brogdon (YouTube link). Fischer acknowledges that that Minnesota wants to give youngsters Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. more opportunities to establish themselves as rotation players, but notes that the team could use another veteran option to complement Mike Conley, who will turn 38 in October. “I think Minnesota still stands as a really good situation for Malcolm Brogdon and one that he’s been monitoring, one that the Wolves have checked in on,” Fischer said. “I’m not making a prediction, but I think that’s a good situation for Malcolm Brogdon.”

Fischer’s Latest: Nets, Thomas, Giddey, Grimes

July 17th, 2025 at 2:27pm CST by Rory Maher

Rival NBA executives and agents alike are curious about what the Nets will do with their remaining cap room, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). While general manager Sean Marks has aggressively signed restricted free agents to offer sheets in previous offseasons, that has not been the case this summer, Fischer notes.

According to Fischer’s sources, Brooklyn has yet to “significantly engage” in contract discussions with its own RFA, Cam Thomas.

As Brian Lewis of The New York Post tweets, the Nets are still below the minimum salary floor and could create about $25MM in cap space if they waive a handful of players on non-guaranteed (or lightly guaranteed) contracts. While some fans are “fretting” about Thomas’ situation, Lewis hears from a source (Twitter link) that neither the Nets nor the 23-year-old guard are in a rush to reach an agreement.

Here’s more from Fischer on a few noteworthy restricted free agents:

The agents of Bulls guard Josh Giddey “have not wavered” in their desire to secure their client a deal that would pay him $30MM per year. However, to this point, Chicago’s front office has presented offers “much closer” to $20MM in annual average value, sources tell Fischer.
While the Sixers have expressed a desire to retain Quentin Grimes, a deal has yet be finalized. Still, there’s an expectation that will eventually happen, according to Fischer, who writes that the 25-year-old wing is likely to sign a contract covering at least three years.
We highlighted in a separate story Fischer’s report that the Suns have expressed “exploratory interest” in Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga but a sign-and-trade seems unlikely. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 confirms (via Twitter) that Phoenix is intrigued by Kuminga and says he isn’t entirely ruling out a deal coming together, but acknowledges the odds of it occurring are “in the low range.”

Atlantic Notes: Timme, Diawara, George, Lawson

July 15th, 2025 at 6:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nets need to trim their roster before opening night. Drew Timme, who has a non-guaranteed contract, would seem to be a likely candidate to get waived. However, the former Gonzaga big man has strengthened his case during Summer League competition, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes.

In his first two Summer League games, Timme averaged 26.0 points and 7.0 rebounds. He’s taking nothing for granted regarding his roster status.

“No, not really. I’m honestly [still fighting],” Timme said. “I mean, it’s great and I love it, but I’m fighting. I’m competing. I want to stay here. I think I belong here, and I’ve got to prove it every single day that I do belong here. So it’s all about just fighting that battle every single day. And I like it. I like being the underdog. I like having to force my way into a situation. So, it’s fun.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Another player who has looked good in Las Vegas is Knicks rookie Mohamed Diawara. The French forward was drafted No. 51 overall last month and it’s uncertain whether he’ll join the Knicks next season or remain overseas for the 2025/26 season. “I’ve been really impressed with Mohamed,” Knicks Summer League coach Jordan Brink told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “His ability to rebound and run, to push off misses and makes. I thought he was really solid [in Sunday’s loss to the Celtics]. Pretty active defensively, still learning the defensive system and low-man principles.”
How will Paul George‘s latest ailment impact the Sixers? George underwent surgery on Monday after injuring his left knee during a workout, though he’s expected to return in time for training camp. It might further motivate the Sixers to come to terms with restricted free agent Quentin Grimes, who can play either wing position, Tony Jones of The Athletic opines. It may also solidify Kelly Oubre Jr.‘s spot in the starting lineup and heighten the importance of free agent signee Trendon Watford, who is the team’s only natural power forward on a standard contract.
Raptors guard A.J. Lawson has a non-guaranteed, $2.27MM contract for next season but he’s making a strong case for himself in Summer League action, Michael Grange of Sportsnet writes. Lawson is averaging 21.5 points per game while shooting 60 percent overall through two contests. He was promoted to a standard contract late in the regular season.

Sixers Notes: Morey, Embiid, Grimes, Yabusele, Edwards

July 12th, 2025 at 12:03pm CST by Rory Maher

After making the playoffs for seven straight years, the Sixers bottomed out in 2024/25 amid injuries to several key players, going just 24-58. With a little luck in the draft lottery, Philadelphia kept its protected first-round pick and moved up to No. 3, selecting former Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe.

As challenging as last season was, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey thinks the 76ers have an opportunity to make a significant move up the Eastern Conference standings in ’25/26 due to major injuries to star players and roster changes to rival teams, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic.

“I do think it’s open in the East,” Morey said in an extensive interview with select media from the Las Vegas Summer League. “I do think that’s a fair characterization. I do, obviously, think that we weren’t the only team that’s unfortunately gone through a lot of tough injuries. That’s opened some things up. But we’re going to have to prove that we’re with those upper-echelon teams in the East. But we do feel like if all things come together, we can be right there, and we’ve given ourselves a lot of flexibility to upgrade the team during the year, if things are going as well as we hope.”

Here’s more on the Sixers:

While Morey says star center Joel Embiid is “on track” to be ready for the start of training camp, league sources tell Jones that the 31-year-old big man has not yet resumed on-court basketball activities. Still, Morey and the rest of the front office are optimistic that Embiid will be ready to suit up for the regular season opener.
In his same session with reporters, including Jones, Morey seemed to confirm that Philadelphia offered Guerschon Yabusele a contract above the minimum using his Non-Bird rights, as our Luke Adams had previously speculated. Yabusele wound up signing a two-year deal with New York for part of the mid-level exception. Morey suggested the 76ers didn’t want to hard-cap themselves by using any portion of their taxpayer MLE before Quentin Grimes‘ restricted free agency is resolved.
“Yeah, that sucked,” Morey said of losing Yabusele. “We offered Guerschon the most that we could that wouldn’t limit us and our ability to retain Quentin. That was above the minimum. I’ve seen reports saying that we only offered the minimum, and that wasn’t true. But it was definitely below what he ended up getting. We knew it would create a challenge for us. So we wanted to retain Quentin. We hope to work that out with his representation, and our focus was on making sure that happens. So, that did impact what we could offer Guerschon.”
Philadelphia native Justin Edwards was one of the bright spots for the Sixers last season. After a solid rookie campaign, he re-signed with his hometown team on a new three-year deal. “I definitely think this has been a full-circle moment for me, playing in the place I grew up in,” Edwards told Jones of The Athletic. “What I want to do is continue to grow my game and to keep getting better. I want to be in the Rising Stars game next season.”

Where Things Stand In NBA Free Agency

July 8th, 2025 at 9:24am CST by Luke Adams

We’re now into the second week of the NBA’s 2025/26 league year, and while free agency has been resolved for many top players, there are still a number of intriguing names who don’t yet have new contract agreements in place.

Let’s check in on where things stand for some of those players…

The restricted free agents

While they’re not the only four restricted free agents still on the board, there are four names who make up the top tier of notable unsigned RFAs, with each of them ranking among our top 10 free agents as of June 30. Those four players are Josh Giddey (Bulls), Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors), Quentin Grimes (Sixers), and Cam Thomas (Nets).

The restricted free agent market will likely play out very slowly this summer, given that there are essentially no teams (with the possible exception of Brooklyn) in position to sign any one of those players to the kind of offer sheet that would give the player’s current team pause. Here’s what we know about each of those four RFAs:

Josh Giddey (Bulls)
The expectation is that Giddey will remain in Chicago, so it’ll just be a matter of figuring out exactly what his next contract looks like. His camp is reportedly hoping to match (or, presumably, exceed) the five-year, $150MM extension that Jalen Suggs signed with Orlando last fall. Whether the Bulls are willing to go that high in terms of annual salary and/or years remains to be seen.

Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors)
The Kings, Wizards, Heat, Bulls, Bucks, and Nets were among the teams said last week to have expressed varying level of interest in a sign-and-trade deal for Kuminga. However, some of those teams have since made moves that will make Kuminga a less appealing – or practical – fit.

Sacramento has reportedly been the most aggressive suitor for Kuminga so far, having “floated” the idea a package that included 2024 first-rounder Devin Carter and two second-round picks.

But with no deal imminent, the expectation is that the 22-year-old and his camp will meet at the Las Vegas Summer League with interested teams, including the Warriors. A return to Golden State remains very much in play despite Kuminga’s up-and-down tenure in Golden State so far.

Quentin Grimes (Sixers)
The Sixers remain very confident that they’ll re-sign Grimes sooner or later and have “splashed cold water” on possible sign-and-trade scenarios, league sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic. As with Giddey, it seems like the main question with Grimes isn’t where he’ll end up, but what his new contract with his current team will look like.

Cam Thomas (Nets)
We’ve heard very little since free agency opened about Thomas. In a Bleacher Report stream last Thursday (YouTube link), NBA insider Jake Fischer said the Nets guard “does not really have a market, to my understanding.”

Brooklyn is the only team in the league operating below the minimum salary floor, so it’s not as if the Nets are going to be outbid by a rival suitor — it certainly seems as if the only way Thomas ends up on a new team this offseason is if Brooklyn doesn’t want to bring him back.

The veteran unrestricted free agents

The next four highest-ranked unsigned players from our top-50 list after those four restricted free agents are long-tenured veterans. Here’s what we know about those players:

Chris Paul
The Clippers, Suns, and Bucks have been the teams most frequently linked to Paul in recent days. Milwaukee probably offers the best path to a starting role, which is something that’s reportedly important to the longtime NBA point guard, but he also wants to be close to his family in Los Angeles, which could give an edge to those two Western Conference teams.

Russell Westbrook
Another L.A. native who would reportedly like to play closer to home, Westbrook was said to be drawing legitimate interest from the Kings, but that was when it looked like Sacramento was going to trade Malik Monk. If that doesn’t happen, there may not be a spot on the Kings’ backcourt (or on the team’s cap) for Westbrook.

Al Horford
While Horford has been linked to several teams in the last week or two, the one constant has been the Warriors, who continue to look like the frontrunner to land the big man if he doesn’t retire. Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link) reported on Monday that Horford continued to mull his options, with no deal imminent.

I suspect Golden State wants to resolve its Kuminga situation before officially committing its taxpayer mid-level exception to Horford, since doing so would hard-cap the team at the second tax apron and potentially complicate its ability to match an aggressive offer sheet for Kuminga.

Malcolm Brogdon
Reporting on Monday indicated that the Clippers, Suns, Lakers, Warriors, Timberwolves, Bucks, Pelicans, and Kings have all conveyed at least some level of interest in Brogdon. With some other higher-profile guards still out there, Brogdon may be the Plan B for some teams, which would mean he’d have to wait for some of those other players to commit before his options really crystalize.

The two veteran guards who aren’t yet free agents

Damian Lillard is currently on waivers and Bradley Beal is still working on a buyout with the Suns, but the expectation is that both players will reach unrestricted free agency pretty soon.

Lillard is a bit of a wild card, since he’s likely to miss the 2025/26 season due to an Achilles tear. He hasn’t ruled out the possibility of signing with a team sooner rather than later, and there will certainly be no shortage of clubs who would welcome the opportunity to help him with his rehab process and get a leg up on retaining him for ’26/27. But he’s not the type of player who will help a team win in the short term.

Beal, on the other hand, is coming off a pretty solid offensive season and would become a much more valuable investment if he’s on a contract that’s closer to his minimum salary than his maximum. The Clippers, Lakers, Bucks, Timberwolves, and Warriors are among the teams believed to have interest in signing Beal.

With many of those clubs also eyeing Paul, Brogdon, or other guards, Beal may be the first domino to fall — if and when he finds a new team, the ones that miss out can shift their focus elsewhere in earnest. The Clippers are rumored to the favorites for Beal, per Kurt Helin of NBC Sports.

The trades that aren’t yet official

As our full breakdown of this offseason’s trades shows, there are only two agreed-upon deals that aren’t yet official: Denver’s acquisition of Cameron Johnson from the Nets, plus the Jonas Valanciunas/Dario Saric swap between the Nuggets and Kings.

There has been speculation that the Nuggets will combine both of those agreements into a single transaction to avoid creating a hard cap at the first tax apron. At the very least, as NBA insider Marc Stein tweets, Denver needs to get the Johnson/Michael Porter Jr. trade done before the deal with the Kings in order to be able to get below the first apron. That will allow the Nuggets to take back more salary than they send out for Saric.

The Nets may be thoroughly exploring scenarios for how to take full advantage of their current cap room before they finalize that trade with the Nuggets, since it will cut into their space significantly — swapping Johnson for Porter will use up $17MM+ of their room.

The delay on these deals is not an indication that the Valanciunas/Saric deal won’t eventually be finalized. Multiple reports have indicated it remains on track, despite Valanciunas’ reported desire to get out of his NBA contract and sign with the Greek team Panathinaikos. Multiple reports, including another one from Stein on Monday night (Twitter link), have also indicated that the Nuggets have told the veteran center they intend to keep him and want him to honor his contract.

For what it’s worth, a report from SDNA in Greece indicates that Panathinaikos was assured by Valanciunas’ representation that the Nuggets would let him out of his NBA deal and was surprised to find out that Denver hadn’t signed off on that plan at all.

Although those two Denver deals are the only ones we know about that aren’t official, that doesn’t mean there won’t be more trades still to come — the Clippers, Heat, and Jazz, for instance, agreed to a three-team trade on Monday and finalized it later in the day. It’s possible that more deals could be around the corner as teams and executives congregate for Summer League action.

Atlantic Notes: Bona, Grimes, Lillard, Knicks

July 5th, 2025 at 8:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

Adem Bona was one of the few bright spots in a disastrous year for the Sixers, and the rookie center is eager to get an early start on next season tonight in the Salt Lake City Summer League, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Injuries to Joel Embiid, Andre Drummond and others created unexpected playing time for Bona, who appeared in 58 games, including 11 starts, while averaging 5.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per night.

“I’m going into my sophomore year,” he said. “You can only go up from here, like learning from mistakes and stuff like that. Yeah, I’m really excited to see what this upcoming year has to hold for the team and also being a part of it.”

Tonight’s game against the host Jazz features a matchup of top-five picks VJ Edgecombe, whom the Sixers took at No. 3, and Ace Bailey, who fell out of favor in Philadelphia after he canceled a scheduled workout in hopes of being selected by another team. Sixers fans will also get their first look at Auburn big man Johni Broome, a national Player of the Year candidate who was selected in the second round.

“I feel like our skill sets complement each other,” Bona said. “Me and Johni, we cannot wait to be able to share the floor together, to be about to operate on the low block together, high low, sometimes space the floor. So I think that’s the goal, to work together, to be able to learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses and try to complement each other while we’re on the floor, and my goal is always to be able to help the team, even if I share the floor with Joel. I’m going to do my part.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

There has been “little to no movement” so far regarding restricted free agent guard Quentin Grimes and the Sixers, sources tell Kelly Iko and Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). Iko adds that the two sides “are hoping to continue communications” in the next few days. Grimes reportedly wants to average $25MM per season in his next contract.
Signing Damian Lillard could help the Celtics return to title contention in 2026/27, states Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. A source tells Washburn that Boston is among the cities Lillard would consider and the team has interest in the high-scoring guard, who may not play this season due to a torn Achilles. Washburn recalls that Lillard didn’t want to join the Celtics when trade rumors began to surface a few years ago, but he has since developed a friendship with Jayson Tatum. Boston has the $5.7MM taxpayer midlevel exception to offer.
Steve Popper of Newsday doesn’t believe the Knicks should get involved if the Lakers decide to trade LeBron James. Popper contends it would be a mistake to part with Karl-Anthony Towns or multiple rotation players to match James’ $52.6MM salary, adding that the team should preserve its resources in case Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes available.

Free Agent Notes: Rollins, CP3, Aldama, Grimes, Wolves, E. Miller

June 29th, 2025 at 1:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks have tendered a qualifying offer to guard Ryan Rollins, making him a restricted free agent, a league source tells Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link).

After starting the 2024/25 season on a two-way contract in Milwaukee, Rollins was promoted to a rest-of-season standard deal in March. He played a regular role in the backcourt, especially when Damian Lillard missed time for health reasons, and had a solid season, with averages of 6.2 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game, along with a shooting line of .487/.408/.800.

His qualifying offer is worth a projected $2.58MM and will give the Bucks the right of first refusal in the event that he signs an offer sheet with a rival team.

Here are a few more free agency notes and rumors from around the NBA:

Echoing other recent reporting, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link) says the belief around the NBA is that veteran point guard Chris Paul will play at least one more season and wants to do so in Los Angeles to be close to his family. It’s unclear whether that means the Clippers and Lakers will be the only options he considers or whether other West Coast teams might be in play.
Zach Lowe of The Ringer (YouTube link; hat tip to RealGM) says he has heard that Grizzlies restricted free agent Santi Aldama will have “full mid-level deals waiting for him” when he hits the market. Memphis would have the ability to match any offer sheet Aldama signs or could simply directly negotiate a new deal with him.
Within a story that examines the challenges the Sixers will face as they try to retain both Quentin Grimes and Guerschon Yabusele in free agency, Tony Jones of The Athletic cites sources who say Grimes is hoping to sign a contract that averages $25MM annually. An earlier report indicated the restricted free agent guard is expected to land a starting salary worth at least $16MM.
The Timberwolves, who are expected to lose Nickeil Alexander-Walker in free agency, would like to add another ball-handler if they can, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Minnesota likely won’t be able to offer outside free agents more than the veteran’s minimum due to the team’s position relative to the second tax apron.
The Bulls have issued a two-way qualifying offer to forward Emanuel Miller, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). The move makes Miller a restricted free agent after he had a solid 2024/25 season in the G League with the Texas Legends and Windy City Bulls.

Stein’s Latest: NAW, Schröder, Jerome, Grimes, Kornet, Nuggets

June 29th, 2025 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons and the Hawks have been described as the two best bets to sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker away from the Timberwolves when free agency gets underway, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Both Detroit and Atlanta have previously been reported as potential suitors for Alexander-Walker, along with teams like the Clippers and Magic. The expectation is that he’ll command offers in the range of the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which will start at a projected $14.1MM. He might even end up getting more than that, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

While Minnesota has expressed a desire to retain Alexander-Walker, the club has already committed to Naz Reid on a lucrative new five-year deal and is expected to retain Julius Randle as well. Re-signing Alexander-Walker to a market-value contract would likely send the Wolves’ team salary soaring beyond the second tax apron.

As for the Pistons, there has been consistent reporting this week indicating that their free agent guard Dennis Schröder may end up signing with the Kings. While Schröder didn’t exactly confirm that this weekend during a Twitch stream, he suggested he’s unlikely to return to Detroit.

“I want to stay in Detroit for sure, but Detroit ain’t waiting for me, I can tell you that much,” Schröder said (Twitter video link). “Detroit ain’t waiting for me.”

Here’s more from Stein:

The Hornets and Grizzlies have been consistently mentioned as teams expected to pursue free agent guard Ty Jerome, according to Stein. Reporting earlier today indicated that Utah also may be in the mix for the Sixth Man of the Year finalist, who is now considered a “lock” to leave the Cavaliers, per Stein.
Sixers restricted free agent Quentin Grimes is expected to land a starting salary of at least $16MM, Stein reports. Assuming he gets that offer from Philadelphia, it would be enough to outbid any rival suitors that might be willing to give him the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
The Clippers, who are in the market for a center to back up Ivica Zubac, are considered a team to watch for free agent big man Luke Kornet, writes Stein.
The Nuggets, who are eyeing potential assistant coaches for David Adelman‘s staff, have been granted permission to interview Mavericks assistant Jared Dudley and have also exhibited “strong” interest in former NBA guard J.J. Barea, per Stein (Twitter links). Barea had been coaching the Guaynabo Mets in his native Puerto Rico over the past couple years before being let go last month.