Former Knicks guard makes Mavs GM Nico Harrison look even more incompetent

It wasn't that long ago that New York Knicks fans thought Quentin Grimes was the next big thing. Tom Thibodeau granted fans' wish for the guard to start toward the beginning of the 2022-23 season when he benched Evan Fournier, but little did fans know it was Grimes' last full season in New York.

Grimes averaged 11.3 points on 46.8% shooting from the field and 38.6% from three in 71 games (66 starts). It seemed like he would be the starting shooting guard for the foreseeable future, but that was before the Knicks signed Donte DiVincenzo in free agency and Grimes entered a shooting slump. The former Warriors guard replaced Grimes in the starting lineup in 2023-24 in what was the beginning of the end for him in New York.

The Knicks traded Grimes to the Pistons before the 2024 deadline with Fournier (how ironic?) for Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks. Many people declared New York the winner of the deadline, but Bogdanovic and Burks underperformed. The former was traded to Brooklyn as part of the Mikal Bridges deal, while Burks entered free agency and signed with Miami.

Grimes played six games for Detroit before the Pistons ruled him out for the rest of the season so he could focus on rehabbing his knee, which he injured in January. His time in Michigan was brief, as he was traded to Dallas in the offseason for Tim Hardaway Jr. It was one former Knick for another.

Luka Doncic trade wasn't the only bad move Nico Harrison made before the deadline

Grimes found a home in Texas (his literal home state) with the Mavericks. He averaged 10.2 points on 46.3% shooting from the field and 39.8% from deep before he was involved in another trade. As if Dallas fans weren't distraught enough after losing Doncic, Nico Harrison traded Grimes to Philadelphia with a second-round pick for Caleb Martin.

There is no question about which team is winning the trade thus far. Martin has yet to make his Mavericks debut because of his hip injury, which is more serious than Dallas expected.

Meanwhile, Grimes is coming off a 44-point career-high outing for Philadelphia. It didn't come against a lowly team like the Jazz (sorry Utah fans), but instead, Steph Curry and the Warriors. Jimmy Butler was sidelined, but that doesn't make Grimes' performance less impressive.

Dallas is dealing with a slew of injuries, making the decision to trade for an injured Martin much more questionable. He hasn't played in a game since Jan. 10. Grimes was playing well before he was traded and he'd undoubtedly be helping the Mavericks through this brutal stretch. At least the Dallas fans who are still fans would find some joy in watching Grimes play.

As if it's not bad enough that fans have to watch Luka propel the Lakers up the conference standings to No. 2, they have to watch Grimes star for the Sixers. Harrison is the most disliked person in Dallas for a reason, no matter how he tries to rationalize his pre-deadline trades.

Also, thank you, Nico, for sending Grimes to one of the Knicks' division rivals! But for real, thanks again for Jalen Brunson!