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Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"I'm all with the homies getting paid, but let's be realistic" - Pat Bev reacts to Quentin Grimes asking for $25 million a year
"I'm all with the homies getting paid, but let's be realistic" - Pat Bev reacts to Quentin Grimes asking for $25 million a year originally appeared on Basketball Network. Quentin Grimes is one of the better players in the free agent market who has yet to sign with a team. Grimes went from a regular rotation player for the Dallas Mavericks to a 20-point scorer with the Philadelphia 76ers. Advertisement However, now that he's a free agent, Quentin is reportedly asking for $25 million per year from the Sixers, which, of course, they are reluctant to give right now, given their financial situation and considering his role on the team when everybody's healthy. Former NBA player Patrick Beverley weighed in on Grimes' situation in the recent episode of his podcast. "He needs to relax," said Pat Bev. "I'm all with the homies getting paid, but let's be realistic. Get a two-year contract, put some more work in. Put some more joy back in the game, like what you've been doing. Put some more work. Get that pension, man. Get your 10 years, then do what you want to do. But make sure you get that 10 first. For real." Advertisement Grimes caught a big break with an injury-riddled Sixers team Grimes was the L.A. Clippers' No.25 overall pick from the 2021 NBA Draft out of the University of Houston, where he was the co-AAC Player of the Year and an All-American third team selection during his final NCAA year. He was then traded to the Knicks, with whom he had a decent three-year run, averaging 8.6 points per game. Quentin was also traded to Detroit and then Dallas, and he also had good stints with both squads as a reserve player. However, his career changed when the Mavs dealt him to the Sixers before last season's trade deadline, and with all the injuries that the Sixers had, Grimes got a break as a starter. The shooting guard ended up starting 25 of 28 games for Philly while averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while playing an average of 33.7 minutes per night. The problem for Grimes is that when the Sixers get Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey all 100 percent, he isn't going to get the same opportunity. Advertisement Related: Rick Fox explains why Kobe never hung out with other teammates: "He was on a course and any minute or day wasted doing something else was going to slow him down getting to that point" Not worth the 25 right now At the end of the 2024-25 season, Grimes completed the four-year $11.1 million deal that he originally signed with the Knicks in 2021 and became a restricted free agent. According to reports, Grimes' demand for $25 million a year is holding both sides at a stalemate right now, which the Sixers think is too high. Beverley agrees with his former team on the figure. "I don't think he'll get 25. I've seen what he's done. He can go to a younger team and be explosive off the bench. I don't know if 25 is the number, though. I hope he gets 25, but I don't think 25 is the number for Quentin Grimes," he added. Advertisement Last month, the Sixers officially tendered the qualifying offer worth $8.7 million for Grimes to make him an unrestricted free agent. It also shows that the Sixers want him back. Marc Stein recently reported that Philly's figure could be in the $16 million per year range, which isn't too shabby. So perhaps Quentin should heed Pat Bev's advice and not rush things. Otherwise, he could lose everything, which would be a disaster. Related: "All I hear in the hallway is 'What the fu*k?'" -Quentin Grimes described the Mavs' reaction after hearing about the Luka trade This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rangers transformation continues with K'Andre Miller trade to Hurricanes: 3 key takeaways
New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury put quite the exclamation point on a busy first day of NHL free agency Tuesday, not with another big signing, but with a needle-moving trade. After signing stud free-agent defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and re-upping RFA forward Will Cuylle, Drury put the final touches on a major trade with a division rival. The Rangers parted ways with defenseman K'Andre Miller in return for defenseman Scott Morrow and two draft picks — a conditional first-round selection in 2026 and a second-rounder next year. Advertisement It was no secret that the Rangers were seeking to trade the inconsistent 25-year-old, who was an RFA with arbitration rights. But lately, word was that the Rangers were frustrated in their efforts to consummate a Miller deal, that no one was willing to meet their asking price. It's fair to say that most NHL experts were caught off guard by the hefty haul the Rangers got for Miller and the fact that they traded him within the Metropolitan Division. Most trade rumors involving Miller centered on Western Conference teams or the Detroit Red Wings, who are in the Atlantic Division, though still in the East. Then there was the fact that the Hurricanes committed to an eight-year, $60 million contract with Miller. Clearly, they believe big-time in the 2018 first-round pick. Advertisement 'It's a big price to pay, but we think he's a great fit for our system,,' Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky said after acquiring Miller. 'You hear me talk a lot about how hard our scouting department works to identify players who will fit. He was one of them.' Considering there's lots of runway left in the careers of Miller and Morrow, plus the unknown future of those draft picks, it's impossible right now to predict who's going to come out ahead in this fascinating deal between teams that compete in the same division. One thing we do know is that Drury is completing a fairly major overhaul of the Rangers roster, one that began last winter. In are J.T. Miller, Will Borgen, Urho Vaakanainen, Juuso Parssinen, Carson Soucy, Carey Terrance and now Scott Morrow. Out are Jacob Trouba, Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, Chris Kreider, Zac Jones and K'Andre Miller Related: New York Rangers 2025 NHL free agency tracker: Latest signings, analysis, trades, rumors Key takeaways from K'Andre Miller trade between Rangers, Hurricanes Brad Penner-Imagn Images Each side got what they wanted In it's simplest terms, this trade — right now — is a win-win. The Rangers grew weary of Miller's inconsistencies and didn't want to invest big money long term in him, which is where they were at after five seasons, and just two years away from unrestricted free agency. That they landed two premium picks in what most believe will be a loaded 2026 draft is a great return. The Rangers now have two first-round selections, though the one from the Hurricanes is top-10 protected among other conditions. Advertisement The Rangers could use the picks to further build up their prospects pool, or use one or some ahead of the 2026 trade deadline if they're in position to make a deal. Then they also received Carolina's top prospect, Morrow, a right-shot defenseman who could step into a third-line role on Broadway next season. The 22-year-old is gifted offensively, though needs plenty of work on his defensive game, as was evidenced in the five games he played in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Morrow's addition allows the Rangers to shift Braden Schneider to the left side of the second defense pairing with Will Borgen if they so choose. It also gives them an intriguing prospect on the blue line who's younger and less expensive than Miller. Advertisement The best player, though, in this trade is Miller. Despite many question marks regarding his up-and-down two-way game, the bottom line is that he's been a top-four shutdown defenseman for a team that's reached the Eastern Conference Final twice in the past four years. His hockey IQ is questionable, but there's no denying his upside and skill set. The Hurricanes absolutely believe that they can unlock greatness in Miller with their structure and play style. It won't hurt Miller that he'll play behind one of the League's best defensemen in Jaccob Slavin, though that contract could be an albatross. Danger! Danger! What makes this trade fascinating, in part, is that it could backfire for either side in dramatic fashion. Such is the case when division rivals make such a rare big trade. If Miller does thrive under Rod Brind'Amour in Carolina and reach the potential he flashed as late as two seasons ago on Broadway, this trade could kick the Rangers right in the privates. Mike Rupp said on NHL Network that he believes Miller can be among the top-10 best defensemen in the entire NHL. That might be a stretch, but it shows how much some hockey people still believe in Miller, who, remember, should still have his best hockey in front of him. Advertisement Miller skating with the Stanley Cup above his head is Drury's worst nightmare. It'd be much worse than watching Niko Mikkola do so two springs in a row for the Florida Panthers. That said, this trade shows Drury doesn't believe that will be the case. And Miller's erratic play last season provides justification for Drury's reasoning to trade him. If Drury's right, the Hurricanes will rue that $60 million investment. It'll only get worse for Carolina if Morrow emerges as a star or if the Rangers land a stud or with those draft picks. For years to come, we will be debating how Miller and/or the Rangers haul are helping decide which team finishes higher in the Metropolitan Division. That's fun for us. But a lot of pressure for each GM and his team. Advertisement Vladislav Gavrikov signing was instrumental to Rangers making K'Andre Miller trade The Rangers likely couldn't have made this trade had they not first signed Gavrikov in free agency, The Rangers believe that Gavrikov is a clear upgrade over Miller and worth a seven-year commitment, even though he's four years older. That they landed Gavrikov for a lower average annual value ($7 million compared to $7.5 million) than Miller is an added bonus. At least for now. If Miller outplays him for years to come, all bets are off. The Rangers prefer Gavrikov's steadiness and the stability he brings on the back end. He's not a dynamic defenseman, but he is solid. He's also more physical than Miller. However, Miller's upside at age 25 is a clear X Factor here. But what would the Rangers have done is Gavrikov re-signed with the Los Angeles Kings or signed elsewhere in free agency? With Ivan Provorov already re-upped with the Columbus Blue Jackets, there was no clear-cut top-four left-shot defenseman on the market. Without an obvious replacement, the Rangers couldn't have risked dealing Miller away. No, Brian Dumoulin wouldn't get it done. Advertisement So, an intriguing subplot to evaluating this trade moving forward will be the Gavrikov-Miller comparison. Next season and for years to come. It'll be fair to compare the two defensemen head to head because none of this happens if the Rangers didn't choose Gavrikov over Miller. Related Headlines
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why these 2 former Rangers remain without contracts in NHL free agency
In the week since NHL free agency opened July 1, close to $1 billion ($932 million) has been spent on 205 contracts throughout the League. Not a penny of that total has been spent on a pair of former New York Rangers, who at one point likely envisioned cashing in this offseason. So, Alexandar Georgiev and Jack Roslovic remain on the market, with options dwindling by the day. Advertisement This is a far cry from what Georgiev envisioned last summer, when he projected to be the top goalie on the UFA market in 2025. However, the 29-year-old cratered this past season. He began the season as the No. 1 for the Colorado Avalanche, a legit Stanley Cup contender, and finished it with the lowly San Jose Sharks, his numbers equally as poor for each team. Georgiev, an NHL All-Star in 2024, combined to post a terrible 3.71 goals-against average and .875 save percentage in 49 games for those two teams this past season. He ranked 65th out of 66 goalies who played at least 15 games with an atrocious -17.9 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck. Only Sam Ersson of the Philadelphia Flyers was worse (-19.9). After an outstanding first season with the Avalanche in 2022-23 (62 gp; 40-16-6, 2.53 GAA, .919 save percentage), Georgiev started to show some cracks in his game the following season with them (63 gp; 38-18-5, 3.10 GAA, .897 save percentage). But no one predicted what happened this past season. And now there's a massive question mark about his future. Advertisement Roslovic scored 22 goals with the Carolina Hurricanes last season, tying his career high set in 2021-22 with the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, Roslovic played fewer than 14 minutes a night because he's largely a liability defensively. Though his xGF was 50.28 percent last season, per Natural Stat Trick, the Hurricanes were out-scored 55-46 with him on the ice 5v5 and were out-chanced in high-danger opportunities 205-173. The 28-year-old appeared in nine of Carolina's 15 postseason games and scored one goal. The year before, Roslovic had two goals in 16 playoff games with the Rangers, and ended the postseason on the fourth line. In a sheltered role, though, Roslovic should be of interest to some teams out there. Remember, Roslovic didn't land his one-year, $2.8 million contract with Carolina until July 4 last summer. So, this isn't unchartered UFA territory for him. Related: Scott Morrow 'going to be really good player' with Rangers, but there's catch: NHL insider Former Rangers still have options in NHL free agency Nick Wosika-Imagn Images Let's explore where Georgiev, who played with the Rangers from 2018-22, and Roslovic, a trade-deadline acquisition by the Blueshirts in 2024, may land this summer. Advertisement Alexandar Georgiev Georgiev's best bet appears to sign a one-year prove-it contract and re-enter the open market next summer. No one is handing him either a long-term nor big-money contract after his dismal season. But that doesn't mean Igor Shesterkin's former partner isn't worth taking a shot on in a bounce-back situation. The Edmonton Oilers missed out on John Gibson, who was traded to the Detroit Red Wings by the Anaheim Ducks, but could have interest in an upgrade over the Stuart Skinner-Calvin Pickard goalie tandem. They are right up against the salary cap, but if the Oilers could land Georgiev for the veteran's minimum or perhaps as much as $1 million, who says no? The Chicago Blackhawks have cap space, though they also have a No. 1 goalie to build around after acquiring Spencer Knight late last season. So, this would be a No. 2 role or 1a at best. Perhaps a better No. 2 role could be in Calgary with the Flames, who have Dustin Wolf entrenched as their top goalie, but have the room to add Georgiev as his backup, if interested. Advertisement Complicating matters for Georgiev are the dearth of NHL opportunities — even as a backup — and the fact that veterans James Reimer and Ilya Samsonov are also still on the market. Related: Rangers' Igor Shesterkin named top Russian goalie in NHL by friend, local rival Jack Roslovic James Guillory-Imagn Images Roslovic should have more options this summer than Goergiev. In fact, Elliotte Friedman stated on a recent 32 Thoughts podcast that Roslovic could be a fit for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who would love to add a middle-six scoring forward and are roughly $5 million under the cap — more if they trade RFA Nicholas Robertson. Advertisement Friedman added that the Washington Capitals have shown some interest in Roslovic. The Sharks have plenty of cap space and could use a middle-six forward to support their growing young core and add some scoring depth. The Islanders, Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens also make some sense as potential fits for Roslovic, and one can't rule out the Blackhawks. Related Headlines
Forbes
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Did The NBA's New Labor Deal Ruin Free Agency?
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 26: Brook Lopez #11 of the Milwaukee Bucks is defended by Deandre ... More Ayton #2 of the Portland Trail Blazers during a game at Fiserv Forum on November 26, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) The start of NBA free agency used to be an unofficial holiday for basketball fans. They would eagerly await a barrage of reports from the league's major news-breakers and would lose their minds accordingly once said deluge began. However, the 2025 offseason has been largely light on free-agent fireworks, which came as no surprise to those who were paying attention. The Brooklyn Nets were the only team that entered free agency with significant salary-cap space, although the Milwaukee Bucks later joined them after they unexpectedly waive-and-stretched injured All-Star point guard Damian Lillard. That move set the stage for the Bucks to sign former Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner to a four-year, $108.9 million contract. Thus far, Turner and Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving are the only two players to receive nine-figure deals in free agency. (Irving declined his $43.0 million player option and re-signed with the Mavs on a three-year, $118.5 million deal.) Aside from Turner, Nickeil Alexander-Walker landed the highest contract of anyone else who changed teams. The Atlanta Hawks gave him a four-year, $60.6 million deal as part of a sign-and-trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. This offseason has been an outlier in that regard. While not every summer is like 2019, when teams handed out 12 nine-figure deals in total, there are typically at least 10 or so deals worth north of $70 million. This year, Irving, Turner and James Harden—who re-signed with the Los Angeles Clippers on a partially guaranteed two-year, $81.5 million contract—are the only three free agents to cross that threshold thus far. That caused Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green to bemoan the state of free agency on Monday night. Draymond Green declaring that the NBA's new CBA put an end to free agency. Is Green right? Did the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement put an end to free agency? Or will it bounce back in future years if more teams enter the offseason with cap space? The answers aren't as cut-and-dried as Green makes it out to be. How The New CBA Ruined Free Agency To some extent, Green is correct. The league's latest CBA did contain several changes that have impacted free agency. The biggest one, as he mentioned, is the new second apron. The previous CBA had only one apron. Teams that went above that line had the smaller taxpayer mid-level exception rather than the larger non-taxpayer mid-level exception, and they couldn't receive players via sign-and-trade. However, they were still allowed to aggregate contracts in trades and could take back 125% of the salary they send out in a trade. That isn't the case anymore. Under this CBA, teams that go above the first apron but stay below the second apron are still allowed to aggregate two smaller salaries for a bigger contract, but they can't take back more salary than they send out in a trade. Teams that go above the second apron also can't aggregate contracts or trade a first-round draft pick that's seven years in the future. Those that stay above the second apron twice in a four-year span have that seven-years-from-now pick automatically dropped to the bottom of the first round. Boston Celtics president Brad Stevens recently told reporters that he thought "the second-apron basketball penalties are real, and I'm not sure I understood how real until they were staring me in the face." The Celtics, who won the championship in 2023-24, have spent the offseason stripping their team for spare parts in the wake of Jayson Tatum's Achilles tear, as they could no longer bear the brunt of the second apron's punishing restrictions. With that backdrop in mind, teams do appear to be approaching most contract negotiations more cautiously. Stars like Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero are still receiving full max contracts, but many lower-level starters and role players are having to scratch and claw for their paydays. Green alluded to that tension when he said players are overplaying the market because they don't "understand what they are up against with the new rules." While the second apron is by far the biggest change in the new CBA, it wasn't the only one that has negatively impacted free agency. The new extension rules, which allow teams to offer players a starting salary of 140% of what they were previously earning rather than 120%, have facilitated an increase in extensions before players can even test free agency. As more high-profile players sign extensions and further whittle down the potential free-agent class, teams also begin to pivot since they have less incentive to preserve cap space. The new CBA also changed when teams are allowed to legally begin negotiating with their own free agents. (And as we all know, teams and agents would never dare to break those rules and negotiate ahead of time.) Whereas teams previously had to wait to contact even their own players until free agency began—which might have contributed to Harden's schism with the Philadelphia 76ers two summers ago—they can now begin hashing out new contracts one day after the NBA Finals end. Irving and the Mavericks took advantage of that negotiating window this offseason. The two sides reportedly agreed to their new deal on June 24, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, which was six days before free agency officially began. The following day, Fred VanVleet and the Houston Rockets came to terms on a two-year, $50 million contract, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Neither Irving nor VanVleet were perceived to be legitimate flight risks this offseason. Still, they were two of the top potential free agents, and other teams never even got a chance to pitch them before they agreed to terms with their current clubs. Lastly, the new CBA also allowed teams to use their mid-level exceptions as trade exceptions for the first time. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line Substack, seven teams used their MLEs in trades this past season, which one team strategist predicted would become "a new trend" around the league. A handful of teams have already spent their respective mid-level exceptions this summer, including the Los Angeles Lakers (Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia), Los Angeles Clippers (Brook Lopez) and Detroit Pistons (Caris LeVert). However, most teams still have some or all of their MLEs as their disposal. That may further choke off free agents who have yet to settle on a landing spot. Is Free Agency Gone Forever? All of those changes have had an undeniable impact on free agency this offseason. The increased extension limits and early negotiation window annihilated the high-end options before free agency even opened. Fear of the second apron and the ability to use MLEs as trade exceptions may have ended the game of free-agent musical chairs early. From here on out, most players (other than a handful of notable restricted free agents) will likely be forced to settle for veteran-minimum or near-minimum contracts. So, is Green right? Is free agency gone forever? Or was this offseason an outlier because of how few teams entered it with cap space? It's too early to say definitively either way. However, market dynamics could swing back in the players' favor in 2026. The Washington Wizards currently have nearly $100 million in expiring contracts on their books between Khris Middleton, CJ McCollum, Marcus Smart and Richaun Holmes. The latest CBA contains a new rule that forces teams to reach the league's salary floor (90% of the salary cap) by the first day of the regular season. If the Wizards don't flip some of their expiring deals for longer-term contracts this year, they'll have a ton of money that they'll have to burn next summer. (Granted, they could use some of it by taking unwanted contracts into their cap space.) While Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. agreed to a five-year, $240 million renegotiation-and-extension that preemptively kept him off the 2026 free-agent market, that wasn't the case for Lakers guard Austin Reaves. The Lakers were only allowed to offer him a four-year, $89.2 million extension this offseason, which he unsurprisingly rejected, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic. Unless he changes his mind, he's set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, so some teams could try to line up cap space to take a shot at him. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić has reportedly informed his team that he also won't be signing an extension this offseason, according to Bennett Durando of the Denver Post, although that's purely a financial move. He stands to add an extra year and tack on an additional $77 million by waiting until next summer to sign an extension, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks. However, there will be an unprecedented feeding frenzy if Jokić decides not to sign an extension again next offseason. So, the days of being bombarded with reports about brain-busting agreements in the opening hours of free agency might no longer exist the same way it once did. The new CBA did have an undeniable impact this summer in that regard. But before declaring free agency officially dead and buried, let's see how the next offseason or two play out first. Unless otherwise noted, all stats via PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM. All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Follow Bryan on Bluesky.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
RJ Davis sets up the nice finish
Recapping What Teams Around The Pacific Division Did During The Opening Days Of 2025 Free Agency The Pacific Division looks a lot different now than it did a week ago. Some of the Vancouver Canucks biggest rivals made intriguing signings in the opening days of free agency, which will impact how the division shapes up in 2025-26. Here is a recap of the moves made by teams in the Pacific Division at the start of 2025 free agency.
