Who will win the Quentin Grimes gambit? Predicting 4 landing spots for Knicks' guard before the trade deadline
Quentin Grimes' future with the New York Knicks has reportedly been up in the air. Back in December, the young guard spoke to reporters and expressed frustration over his role on the team. While the Knicks (25-17) currently sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, Grimes remains unhappy with his role on the team.
Heading into the February 8 trade deadline, his name has come up as a potential target for a number of teams. Although his stats compared to last year have seen a decline, Quentin Grimes still seems to be generating quite a bit of interest from teams around the league.
On the heels of a report from SNY's Ian Begley indicating that Grimes has quite a few suitors, let's take a look at four interested teams.
Four best landing spots for Quentin Grimes ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline
#4: Houston Rockets
According to SNY's Ian Begley, the Houston Rockets have emerged as a potential suitor for Quentin Grimes. While the team has impressed this season under the coaching of Ime Udoka, they lack the depth of a true contender.
Currently, the team has Aaron Holiday coming off the bench as a point guard, with Amen Thompson as the backup two-guard, and Jae'Sean Tate as the backup three. Given that, Grimes could be the perfect fit to bolster their reserves.
#3: Utah Jazz
It's taken half a season for the Utah Jazz to find their rhythm, however, since then, the team has begun to turn things around. As we look ahead to the remainder of the season, the Jazz currently sit in ninth place in the West.
With Simone Fontecchio and Ochai Agbaji handling duties at the small forward position, Quentin Grimes may help give the team a lift. Despite that, the general consensus is that the Jazz still need at least one more piece to be truly competitive in the West.
#2: Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are still reeling from the loss of Ja Morant through the early portion of the season. After returning to action, Morant then succered a labral tear in his right shoulder, forcing him to undergo surgery.
In the meantime, the team has dealt with a slew of injuries to other players such as Marcus Smart, Derrick Rose, and Jake LaRavia to name just a few. While their playoff hopes remain out of reach, Grimes could begin plugging some of the holes in the team's metaphorical boat.
#1: Atlanta Hawks
Reports have indicated that the Atlanta Hawks could be entering into a rebuild. Amid talk of Trae Young expressing a desire to play alongside Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio, it sounds like trades are undoubtedly coming.
While acquiring Quentin Grimes wouldn't jumpstart a rebuild or push the team into playoff contention, he adds a young body to the team's roster. With plenty of uncertainty looming over the team, they have little to lose by bolstering their reserves by acquiring Grimes.
With the second half of the NBA season underway, and the trade deadline rapidly approaching, the trades are likely to begin to fly. As we saw last season with the LA Lakers, once the team acquired Rui Hachimura, the remainder of the dominos quickly began to fall.
Despite the possibility of an exciting trade deadline, Adrian Wojnarowski has indicated he believes this year's deadline may be less eventful than years past. Whether or not that holds true, only time will tell.