Quentin Grimes is getting talked about a lot this offseason. And no, it’s not about whether or not he will change his jersey number this season (#6 has been retired by the NBA in honor of Bill Russell). After a stellar Summer League in which he led the young New York Knicks to the NBA Summer League title game, he made the All-Summer League team with his play and leadership.
Fans have been calling for Grimes to start next month in New York’s season-opener, but we all know Thibs is not big on the younger guys. So, we can only hope.
Grimes showed that he can step up when given the opportunity during his rookie season. Although he didn’t make the NBA All-Rookie Team or win any other lavish awards, there are plenty of things to be happy about when discussing Quentin Grimes.
6 reasons why Knicks’ Quentin Grimes should see an increase in minutes
6. Durability and flexibility
Since his college days, Quentin Grimes has been the guy! In his two years at the University of Houston, he played over 30 minutes a game and he led the school to the Final Four as a junior.
Now in the NBA, Grimes isn’t the number one, two, or even third option, but that doesn’t seem to faze him. In his rookie season, Grimes played as little as one minute to 40 minutes of court action. You never know how much Thibodeau is going to use him, but Grimes stays ready! He even started in six games last year.
As we all know, this game is always changing and it’s always good to have a player like Grimes who can adapt.
5. Steals
Grimes is no slack on defense. Thibs is a defensive-minded coach so he should appreciate what Grimes brings to the table. Last year, he finished sixth on the team in total steals with 31 for the season, but he only played in 46 games.
Also, he saw the court for an average of fewer than 20 minutes per game. Evan Fournier, Mitchell Robinson, Immanuel Quickley, Julius Randle, and RJ Barrett finished before Grimes in this category. Well, four were starters playing over 30 minutes per game while Quickley was the sixth man seeing a little over 20 minutes of action per game.
Grimes’s 31 steals in 46 games proves to me that he should be playing more. Imagine if he played in at least 70 games, he might’ve led the team in steals. He had multiple games with three steals last season and was only one of two players on the Knicks to record four steals in one game.
4. Scorer
Grimes can put the ball in the hole, that’s no secret. The thing about it is, is that he does it in an efficient manner. Grimes doesn’t need to take 20 shots to score 20 points.
In the games that he scored in double figures, Grimes averaged over 49% from the field. That’s great efficiency from a young player. It’s valuable to have a player that can score but does not need to force it.
3. Three-pointers
We need shooters and Grimes may be the premier shooter on the team this season. With Evan Fournier entering his 11th season, he may need help from the young guy on the opposite wing. Fournier finished the season shooting the deep ball at 39%. Grimes finished right behind him at 38%.
Just like I stated earlier, Grimes only played in 46 games while Fournier played and started in 80. There’s no doubt in my mind that Grimes would have led the team in threes if he played at least 30 more games. On four separate occasions, he made five or more threes in a game.
2. Doesn’t turn the ball over
Quentin Grimes is not a pure point guard, but he sure does take care of the ball like one. Standing 6’4” at shooting guard, the ball is almost always secure in his hands.
In the 46 games he has played in, Grimes has only had five multiple turnover games. The funny thing is, the more he plays, the better! In the games he has played 30 or more minutes in, he has averaged one turnover per game. Let’s keep the ball in his hands!
1. Plays better at home
Knicks fans will love this one thing about Grimes. He plays better at home! Yes, at one of the most famous arenas in the world, Quentin Grimes produces. It may not be by much, but fans will appreciate it.
In 22 games on the road, Grimes played an average of 16 minutes and shot 39% from the field and 38% from three. He shot 50% from the free throw line to go along with an average of two rebounds, one assist, and five points per game.
At Madison Square Garden, he’s played 18 minutes per game and shot 42% from the field and 38% from three in 24 games. He is perfect from the free throw stripe to go along with an average of two rebounds, one assist, and seven points per game.
Let’s hope that Thibs can get him some more time on the home floor this season. Fans are calling for it!
Yes, Grimes is the future. Let’s hope that the front office can push Thibodeau in the right direction, which is to utilize the team’s young core. C’mon Thibs, take a chance! Grimes might just be your guy!
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