The Sixers have made their first trade of the season, dealing Caleb Martin to the Dallas Mavericks for 24-year-old wing Quentin Grimes and the return of their own 2025 second-round pick, according to a repot from Shams Charania of ESPN:
The Philadelphia 76ers are trading Caleb Martin to the Dallas Mavericks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/GmJNZOJypg
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2025
Martin, who signed a four-year contract worth $35 million with the Sixers last summer — with bonuses that could take it closer to $40 million — has battled injuries for much of his first year with the team, missing 18 games. He was listed as questionable to return after nearly a month on the sidelines ahead of the team's game against his new team, the Mavericks.
In Grimes, the Sixers get a ready-made rotation wing who is far less experienced than Martin — particularly in high-leverage moments — but is a prototypical two-way role player who is a quality defender and a considerably better three-point shooter than Martin. In his first season with the Mavericks, Grimes has averaged 10.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 22.8 minutes per game, shooting a career-high 39.8 percent from beyond the arc on 4.3 three-point attempts per game.
Grimes is set to become a restricted free agent following the season, which means the Sixers will be able to match any offer sheet he signs with another team. Originally developed as a late first-round pick of the New York Knicks in 2021, Grimes had been on a clear upward trajectory before falling out of favor last season. He spent the end of 2023-24 with the Detroit Pistons, and was rerouted over the summer to Dallas.
The Sixers were one of four NBA teams without ownership of any picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, but they now have control of their own second-rounder next June. They also will save nearly $4 million in 2024-25 salary with this deal.
MORE: Thoughts on Grimes and others in trade deadline primer
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