Jan 22, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Quentin Grimes (5) grabs a rebound in front of Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers struck one of the most shocking trades in NBA history. Luka Doncic, the happy Dallas superstar, was surprisingly moved to the LA Lakers without warning. Every day since has created nonstop criticism for the Mavericks and their General Manager, Nico Harrison.

As if the Doncic trade wasn’t enough, Harrison struck a pre-deadline deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, which turned the water even hotter for Harrison in Dallas. The Sixers swapped out an injured Caleb Martin for a younger Quentin Grimes, who was wrapping up the final year of his current deal.

Recently, Harrison broke his silence on “the other trade” after Grimes put up All-Star numbers in Philly.

Mar 16, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) shoots past Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

“It was really about getting Caleb Martin,” Harrison told reporters, according to WFFA.

“It was less about Grimes. We, obviously, we traded for Grimes, and we got a good look at Grimes. Great player. I think it worked out for both teams. It worked out for him. He’s a free agent situation, so we got to go to a team where he could shoot all the balls and really display his offense. And for us, we weren’t interested in that. We were interested in how he could help us win games. And we had the opportunity to get Caleb, which the opportunity only afford itself because Anthony Davis, he gave us that ability, because he had a trade clause, a trade kicker, and he opted out of that. And so that gave us the room to be able to do that.”

Grimes, a former New York Knicks player who has seen some movement since last season, fell out of Tom Thibodeau’s favor during the 2023-2024 run. In 45 games, Grimes averaged seven points while shooting 40 percent from the field and 36 percent from three on 4.7 attempts per game.

At the 2024 trade deadline, Grimes went to a struggling Detroit Pistons team. Battling through injuries, Grimes appeared in just six games. Clearly, the Pistons weren’t confident in his long-term fit, which led them to trade Grimes away ahead of the 2024-2025 season.

With the Mavs, Grimes was carving out a solid role for himself. In 47 games, he produced 10 points per game while knocking down 40 percent of his threes on 4.3 attempts per game. Based on Harrison’s message during Tuesday’s meeting with reporters, he wanted to put an emphasis on defense. He saw more in Caleb Martin.

When the Sixers initially signed Martin during the 2024 offseason, they believed they were getting a stellar two-way player with plenty of postseason experience. Martin was slightly underwhelming for 31 games in Philadelphia, but like many Sixers on this year’s roster, he struggled to stay healthy and had a hard time finding a rhythm with the always-changing rotations.

Jan 10, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Caleb Martin (16) passes the ball against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Philly’s decision to trade Martin wasn’t a matter of them not liking what he brought to the table. He averaged nine points on 38 percent shooting and came down with four rebounds per game while snatching one steal per outing. However, Daryl Morey and the front office regretted the ages of some of their additions. Martin, who will be 30 next season, didn’t fit the mold of the revised gameplan.

The Sixers picked up a 24-year-old Grimes, who morphed into a high-volume scorer in 28 games on an undermanned roster. The veteran produced 22 points per game on 47 percent shooting from the field and 37 percent shooting from three on nearly eight attempts per game. The Sixers will have an opportunity to make a long-term offer to Grimes in the offseason or match one from another team.