The Los Angeles Lakers are 8-2, and the team is currently sitting at the top of the Western Conference, with Luka Doncic clearly making a strong early MVP case, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler neatly fitting their “Big 3” duties alongside him, and some good performances from role players like Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle. It’s hard to get too upset, then, about the clear inadequacies on the roster (backup center) and what appear to be offseason mistakes made by the front office. Still, with 7.6 points per game and a paltry 21.4% 3-point field-goal percentage, there is high anxiety running in several corners of Lakerland over the play of Quentin Grimes.
Yes, the Quentin Grimes who got a four-year, $60 million contract from the Lakers this summer.
As Lakers analyst Anthony Irwin wrote, “The Lakers are paying Quentin Grimes $60 million over the next four years to average triple singles.”
And he is not alone in his disbelief when it comes to Grimes’ play.
Lakers Will Get More From Quentin Grimes
Certainly, it is hard to defend what Grimes has done offensively for the Lakers to date, and even if he were playing a bit better, the contract that the Lakers gave him was always going to be an overpay–they could have matched what Grimes does with a much cheaper deal. But it is also probably a mistake to assume that what we’ve seen from Grimes to date is what we will get all year.
That’s the view from one Western Conference scout this week, who told Heavy Sports that Grimes likely will break his slump.
“You can see his confidence is shot, he looks like a guy who is in his own head and does not know whether he should shoot or not, and the minute you have that, it’s a tough thing to break,” the scout said. “But you know, new guy, first big contract, playing with Luka (Doncic), it is understandable. The important thing is, that’s not who he is as a shooter and a player and once he breaks out of that, he is going to be fine. It’s only (10) games.
“The big thing is his defense, that is what they brought him in for and watching him on that end, the effort is there, he has been very good, very active. That’s why the Lakers wanted him. Once the shot comes back around, I think everyone will forget how bad his start was.”
They might not forget the $60 million for Grimes. But it’s a bit premature to give up on him as a useful rotation guy.
Lakers $60 Million Addition’s Struggles Get Reality Check