One of the several players the Lakers quickly came to terms with at the start of free agency Quentin Grimes on a reported four-year, $60 million deal. The Lakers represent Grimes’ fifth team, but his second time playing alongside Luka Doncic.
Doncic and Grimes played together for the first half of the 2024-25 season on the Dallas Mavericks, before both were unceremoniously shipped off at the trade deadline as part of the franchise’s massively unpopular blockbuster moves. Next to Doncic, Grimes had the best 3-point percentage of his career and elevated his game to a new level. Grimes spoke about what makes Doncic so special.
“I think really just his pace,” Grimes said on an ESPN LA appearance with Mason & Ireland. “Nobody in the NBA is really like 6’8 with that pace. And he plays with his own rhythm, his own cadence. He just puts you on his hip, and bumps you and shoots a fader over you. Or he can get all the way downhill and make plays, he’s got like one-of-one vision out there on the court. So his size, his pace, is just one of one. It just makes it hard. He out 60 on my head when I was in New York, so I’m glad I’m not on that end of that anymore. I get to be on the offensive end again with him. His pace is just one of one in the NBA.”
When asked if Doncic has ever reminded him about the 60-point game, Grimes denied and focused on the incredible relationship the two players have, including one of Grimes’ first texts after his signing with the Lakers was announced.
“No, no, even when we were in Dallas, thank God he didn’t remind me of that,” Grimes joked. “We would’ve have some problems, we played a lot of one-on-one. But no, it’s all good. We have a really good relationship. He was the first one to text me right when the news broke, within like five minutes. So that’s my guy for sure. It’s gonna be a lot of fun to play with him again.”
The Lakers were reportedly in constant communication with Doncic prior to the start of free agency, meaning they likely had his approval for each and every one of their offseason moves to this point. It makes perfect sense that Grimes would have the Doncic stamp of approval, as the two had great on- and off-court chemistry during their short stint together in Dallas.
Now, that relationship can hopefully translate to success for the purple and gold.
Luka Doncic pushed hard for Walker Kessler
Another big signing that had Doncic written all over it was the team acquiring center Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade agreement. L.A. sent two first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps while giving Kessler a four-year, $130 million deal.
Reportedly, the Lakers star pushed hard to make this deal happen and land the team’s center of the future.
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