NBA Roundup: Sixers Capitalize on Grimes’ Bargain Deal; Dillingham Struggles in Minnesota; Pelicans’ Draft Moves Under Fire
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The Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans are drawing league-wide attention for very different reasons, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
Sixers Stay Below First Apron With Quentin Grimes
Philadelphia quietly avoided the first tax apron last summer by having guard Quentin Grimes accept an $8.7 million qualifying offer. The move kept the club just a few million shy of the luxury-tax line and is now paying dividends on the court.
Since arriving in a February trade engineered by then-Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, Grimes is averaging 17.1 points while hitting 40.9 percent from three-point range. League sources told Bontemps the 24-year-old is positioned for a lucrative contract next summer as an unrestricted free agent after changing representation to CAA earlier this month.
Dillingham’s Rough Start Clouds Timberwolves’ Plans
The Timberwolves traded up to the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft to select Rob Dillingham, envisioning him as eventual successor to veteran point guard Mike Conley. Early results have been uneven.
Minnesota has shifted Conley to a bench role, awarded the starting point guard job to Donte DiVincenzo and seen Dillingham struggle to adjust. The second-year guard is shooting 39 percent from the field and 23 percent from beyond the arc. When he plays, the Wolves are being outscored by 14 points per 100 possessions; they are plus-10 when he sits. “I’m not sure that’s ever going to work,” an Eastern Conference scout told Bontemps.
Pelicans’ Early Slide Highlights Costly Draft Trades
The Pelicans opened the season 2-13 and dismissed head coach Willie Green, prompting rival front offices to revisit New Orleans’ recent draft-day deals. Executives remain surprised the Pelicans shipped an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to Atlanta and returned Indiana’s future pick shortly before Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his Achilles in Game 7 of the Finals.
Had those picks remained, New Orleans would currently hold two lottery selections in what is considered a deep draft. The lone bright spot has been the early play of rookie lottery selections Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, both of whom have performed well enough to earn starting roles.
The three situations underscore the varying paths franchises can take—whether maximizing cap flexibility, developing a young point guard or managing long-range draft assets—while the NBA season continues to unfold.
Source: Hoops Wire
