DHJ Quick Take: Lakers Eyeing Quentin Grimes as Free Agency Opens
The Los Angeles Lakers enter free agency with Quentin Grimes squarely on their radar, viewing the former Maverick as a three-and-D fit for their mid-level exception. His familiarity with Luka Dončić only sharpens the case.
- Why are the Lakers interested in Quentin Grimes? Los Angeles has shown interest in Grimes, sources told Dallas Hoops Journal, eyeing his perimeter defense and shooting to round out a bench backcourt.
- What would Grimes give Los Angeles? He offers catch-and-shoot range, on-ball defense against opposing guards, and enough handle to ease the playmaking load on Dončić and Austin Reaves.
- Why does the Dallas connection matter? Grimes shared a brief stretch in Dallas with Dončić during 2024-25, giving the Lakers a built-in pitch as they build around their star.
- What’s next? The negotiating window opens at 5 p.m. CT on Tuesday, June 30, with contracts able to become official starting July 6.
The Los Angeles Lakers have shown interest in Quentin Grimes, sources told Dallas Hoops Journal, and with the free agency negotiating window opening Tuesday at 5 p.m. CT, the former Dallas Mavericks guard fits cleanly into the kind of move Los Angeles has signaled it wants to make.
Grimes lands in unrestricted free agency this summer after betting on himself a year ago, when he signed a one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer with the Philadelphia 76ers rather than settle for a long-term number that never materialized. The gamble paid off. He averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists across 75 games, shooting 45% from the field and 33% from 3-point range while knocking down 1.7 triples a night.
That interest tracks with how the rest of the league has sized up the fit. ESPN’s Bobby Marks has listed the Lakers among the best fits for Grimes, floating a two-year deal worth roughly $30 million with a player option in the second season. CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn went further on the player himself, calling Grimes “probably the best” three-and-D option the market has to offer.
Quentin Grimes Fits the Los Angeles Lakers’ Backcourt Need
Los Angeles re-signed Austin Reaves early in the offseason, but the rest of the bench backcourt is unsettled. Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard both hit free agency, and losing either would thin out a second unit that already leaned on a short list of reliable scorers.
Grimes, a 6-foot-4 guard with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, checks the boxes the Lakers keep coming back to, namely perimeter defense, catch-and-shoot range, and enough handle to run some offense when the stars sit.
The Lakers’ financial mechanics for acquiring players could be affected by recent developments surrounding LeBron James‘ announced departure. If they operate as a cap space team, they will not have access to the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Otherwise, they will need to use cap space.
Familiarity With Luka Dončić Strengthens the Case
There’s a Dallas thread running through all of this. Grimes spent part of the 2024-25 season with the Mavericks alongside Luka Dončić before both moved on, Doncic to Los Angeles in the February blockbuster and Grimes to Philadelphia at the deadline. That brief overlap gives the Lakers a built-in selling point as they try to assemble a roster tailored to Doncic.
President of basketball operations Rob Pelinka set that tone back in May, saying the roster would be retrofitted around Luka and the things he needs. A floor-spacing guard who can defend opposing lead guards and take some pressure off Doncic and Reaves fits that description about as well as anyone left on the board.
Where Quentin Grimes’ Market Stands
Grimes won’t lack for suitors. He was one of the more productive guards available even before the window opened, and his post-deadline run with Philadelphia in 2024-25, when he put up 21.9 points on 46.9% shooting and 37.3% from deep across 28 games, is the version teams are paying for.
Whether the Lakers can close depends on how aggressively rival bidders move and how Philadelphia handles its own decisions regarding Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr.
Negotiations open league-wide at 5 p.m. CT on Tuesday, with contracts becoming official starting July 6.
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